The Houston Rockets bounced back from the All-Star break with a 105-101 win over the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday, led by a historic performance from Kevin Durant. Durant scored 35 points in 36 minutes, going 14 of 20 (70%) from the field, 2 of 4 from three-point range, and 5 of 5 from the free-throw line. He combined this with eight rebounds, four assists, three blocks and one steal while committing only one turnover.
The 35-point outing was the 429th 30-point game of Durant’s career, tying Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for sixth in NBA history. He now sits fifth on the all-time list, two behind Kobe Bryant. It was Durant’s highest scoring performance in more than a month and followed a 31-point effort against Charlotte on February 5. Through 51 games this season, the 37-year-old has averaged 26.0 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.4 assists while shooting 51% from the field and 40.4% from three.
Houston shot 48.8% overall, but struggled from deep, finishing 9 of 32 (28.1%). The Rockets compensated by outscoring Charlotte 48-32 in the paint and shooting 12-of-13 (92.3%) at the line. He also forced 16 turnovers (23 per one report) and recorded 15 steals and eight blocks, leading to defensive pressure that resulted in 16 fast-break points. Houston finished with 11 turnovers compared to the Hornets’ 16 turnovers, which was a significant factor in the four-point game.
Jabari Smith Jr. recorded 15 points on 6 of 9 shooting and 2 of 3 shooting from three, seven rebounds, one block and one steal. Alpern Sengun contributed 13 points and seven assists despite making 6 of 16 shots, while Reed Shepard also scored 13 points. The Rockets overcame an 11-point deficit in the first half to lead 95–84 with five minutes remaining.
For Charlotte, Grant Williams led the way with 20 points on 7-of-10 shooting (4-5 from three). Brandon Miller scored 17 but shot 1 of 12 from deep and 5 of 22 overall for the lead. LaMelo Ball, playing a day after a car accident, finished with 11 points, seven assists and seven rebounds. Rookie Kon Knueppel scored 15 points and hit several late threes, but Durant closed out the game with 10 fourth-quarter points, including two free throws with 3.2 seconds remaining.
The win improved Houston to 34–20 and placed them in fourth place in the Western Conference, one game ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers and one game behind the Denver Nuggets. The Hornets entered the break winning 11 of 12, remaining in 10th place in the Eastern Conference with a 26–30 record, one game behind the Atlanta Hawks.
The Rockets next take the field to face the New York Knicks on Saturday, while Charlotte will host the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday.
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