The Houston Rockets secured their third straight victory with a 97-84 win over the Orlando Magic on Monday night.
Jabari Smith Jr. led Houston with 20 points while matching his career high with five 3-pointers. Alperen Sengun recorded a double-double with 14 points and 14 rebounds, while Steven Adams contributed 11 points and 17 boards.
The Rockets, now 40-25 and fifth in the Western Conference, overcame the absence of Amen Thompson and Fred VanVleet, both sidelined with ankle injuries. Dillon Brooks added 17 points, hitting key shots in the second half to keep Houston in control.
Orlando, which entered the game after defeating Milwaukee, struggled offensively, shooting just 32.6% from the field and 25% from deep.
Paolo Banchero was the Magic’s top scorer with 25 points, while Franz Wagner finished with 15.
Despite a late third-quarter push that cut Houston’s lead to seven, the Rockets responded with consecutive threes from Jeff Green and Brooks to extend their advantage.
Aaron Holiday capped the quarter with a deep three, pushing Houston’s lead to 15 heading into the fourth.
Houston’s defense limited Orlando to just 16 points in the third quarter, making it difficult for the Magic to mount a comeback.
The Rockets capitalized from beyond the arc, sinking 16 3-pointers compared to Orlando’s eight.
Brooks and Sengun each connected from deep in the final minutes to put the game out of reach.
With the loss, the Magic dropped to 30-36 and remain eighth in the Eastern Conference.
