The Houston Rockets extended their perfect preseason start to 4-0 with a commanding 133-115 victory over the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena on Thursday. Houston coach Ime Udoka used an 8-man rotation.
Reed Sheppard led the Rockets with 29 points on 12-of-22 shooting, while Josh Okogie added 28 points, combining for 67 points that propelled Houston ahead throughout the contest.
The Rockets set the tone early, outscoring Atlanta 31-27 in the first quarter. Sheppard contributed with multiple steals and an early dunk, while Okogie blocked two shots and scored efficiently from inside and beyond the arc.
Houston maintained its momentum into the second quarter, holding the Hawks to 34 points while adding 29 more on offense. Isaiah Crawford chipped in 20 points, and Aaron Holiday recorded 16 points with six assists. The Rockets built a double-digit halftime lead despite Trae Young’s 12 points and Kristaps Porzingis’ 23 points for Atlanta.
The third quarter saw Houston’s offense continue to click, with Sheppard hitting several mid-range jumpers and Okogie draining a 25-foot three-pointer. The Rockets outpaced the Hawks 35-26, creating a lead that Atlanta could not overcome. Kevin Durant and Jabari Smith Jr. remained sidelined, allowing Houston’s emerging scorers to take center stage.
The Rockets shot 47.9% from the field and 39.6% from three-point range, dominating in fast-break points 37-11.
Atlanta struggled with turnovers and rebounding, recording 20 turnovers and 53 rebounds, but their perimeter shooting lagged at 27.8%.
Porzingis and Zaccharie Risacher were the leading contributors, posting 23 and 24 points, respectively, with Nickeil Alexander-Walker adding 17 points. Onyeka Okongwu managed 5 points and 7 rebounds.
Houston closed the game with a 38-28 fourth quarter, sealing the win behind contributions from the bench, including JD Davison’s 14 points and Kevon Harris’ 10 points.
