Kevin Durant returned from a two-game absence and delivered 25 points to lead the Houston Rockets to a 129-101 victory over the Utah Jazz on Sunday at the Delta Center.
Houston improved to 13-4 with its fifth straight road win, controlling the game from the opening minutes and maintaining the lead the rest of the night.
Alperen Sengun added 27 points on 10-for-15 shooting, anchoring the offense inside while also contributing five assists.
Steven Adams provided 13 points and 12 rebounds off the bench, helping Houston win the interior battle throughout the night.
Amen Thompson directed the offense with nine assists as the Rockets finished with 30 total dimes and shot 53 percent from the field.
Houston’s defensive pressure set the tone early, forcing 17 Jazz turnovers and turning them into 22 points.
The Rockets also dominated in transition, posting a 21-8 fastbreak advantage that widened the margin before halftime.
Houston held the Jazz to one field goal over a six-and-a-half–minute stretch in the first quarter, fueling a 19-4 run that put the Rockets up 30-16.
Durant scored, assisted, and collected three steals during that surge, showing no signs of rust after his brief absence.
Utah cut the deficit to 39-31 in the second quarter when Ace Bailey tipped in a layup, but Houston responded immediately.
A 16-2 burst, capped by back-to-back Durant baskets, pushed the lead to 55-33 as the Rockets regained full control.
Durant finished 10-of-14 from the floor and knocked down three 3-pointers, giving Houston reliable scoring whenever Utah attempted to rally.
Sengun and Durant ignited a 24-3 run late in the third quarter to extend the margin to 98-64, while the Jazz went six minutes without scoring.
Bailey led the Jazz with 19 points, and Lauri Markkanen followed with 18 points and eight rebounds.
Jusuf Nurkic added 14 points, nine assists, and six rebounds, but Utah struggled to generate consistent offense.
Keyonte George went scoreless on 0-of-6 shooting and committed eight turnovers as Houston’s defense controlled the perimeter.
Houston finished with 50 rebounds and outscored Utah 31-20 in the third quarter to remove any chance of a comeback.
The teams meet again Monday night in Salt Lake City for the second half of the back-to-back.
