Alperen Sengun delivered another dominant interior performance as Houston defeated Cleveland 114-104 on Wednesday night at Rocket Arena.
The center finished with 28 points and 11 rebounds, guiding the Rockets to their fifth straight victory and a 10-3 record through 13 games.
Kevin Durant added 20 points in 37 minutes, helping Houston build an early advantage that set the tone in the first half.
Aaron Holiday provided a major fourth-quarter lift with 14 of his 18 points in the final period, giving the visitors the scoring punch they needed to withstand a late push by Cleveland.
Jabari Smith Jr. scored 14 points and grabbed nine rebounds, while Amen Thompson contributed 12 points, nine boards and five steals in another all-around showing.
De’Andre Hunter led the Cavaliers with 25 points, including five three-pointers, as Cleveland fell to 10-6.
Donovan Mitchell added 21 points, 19 of which came in the fourth quarter during a rally that trimmed the deficit to 77-76 before Sengun and Thompson answered with back-to-back baskets.
Evan Mobley had 18 points and six rebounds but went 4-for-10 at the free throw line, limiting Cleveland’s ability to capitalize on Houston’s turnovers.
Jarrett Allen posted eight points and seven boards, while Lonzo Ball sparked the Cavaliers’ third-quarter surge with seven points during a 23-5 run.
Houston entered halftime up 57-40 after Durant scored 13 and Sengun supplied 10 points and six rebounds in the opening two quarters.
The Rockets shot 46 percent from the field and held a 51-39 edge on the glass, using their size and activity on the boards to maintain control in key stretches.
Smith and Hunter each received a flagrant foul and technical foul during a physical first half, while Nae’Qwan Tomlin was issued a technical for Cleveland.
The Cavaliers were once again without Darius Garland and Jaylon Tyson, both missing their fifth straight game, while Sam Merrill remained sidelined with a right hand sprain.
Houston improved to 10-1 since its 0-2 start, continuing its early-season rise behind Sengun’s consistency in the paint and Durant’s perimeter scoring.
Cleveland dropped to 2-2 on its six-game homestand, with Indiana next on the schedule.
Houston returns home to face Denver on Friday as it looks to push its streak to six.
