Amen Thompson scored a season-high 31 points and Kevin Durant added 28 as the Houston Rockets cruised past the Phoenix Suns 117-98 on Friday night at the Toyota Center. Durant became the eighth player in NBA history to reach 31,000 career points, hitting a jumper midway through the first quarter to reach the milestone.
The Rockets trailed by nine early but responded with a 44-point second quarter, powered by 17 points from Durant, to take control. Houston extended its lead with a 16-2 run in the third quarter, fueled by Thompson’s perimeter shooting and 3-pointers from Durant and Reed Sheppard, putting the game out of reach.
Dillon Brooks led the Suns with 23 points while Mark Williams added 10, but Phoenix struggled with 15 turnovers and shot just 14% from three. The Suns lost for the third time in four games and have now dropped back-to-back contests following their recent win streak.
Houston played without Alperen Sengun due to illness, with Steven Adams starting in his place and contributing eight rebounds and four points.
Durant did not play in the fourth quarter, finishing with 31,024 career points, while Thompson’s scoring balanced the team’s offensive attack. Jabari Smith Jr. added 16 points and six rebounds as Houston shot 56% from the field and 89% from the free-throw line, dominating the boards 40-34.
The Rockets improved to 15-5, marking their fifth win in six games, while the Suns fall to 13-10. Houston travels to face the Mavericks on Saturday, and Phoenix will visit Minnesota on Monday.
