Kevin Durant delivered one of his most efficient scoring performances of the season Tuesday night, leading the Houston Rockets to a 113-99 win over the Toronto Raptors at Toyota Center.
Houston improved to 40-24 and pulled into a tie for third place in the Western Conference standings. Toronto fell to 36-28, with its lead over the Orlando Magic for fifth place in the East trimmed to half a game.
Durant paced the Rockets with 29 points on 12-of-16 shooting while adding seven rebounds and two blocks. The veteran forward controlled the offense early and scored 22 of his points in the first half.
Amen Thompson continued his recent scoring surge with 23 points, converting 6 of 10 shots and going 10-of-14 from the free-throw line. The guard has now scored at least 20 points in five of his last six games.
Jabari Smith Jr. matched Thompson with 23 points while hitting three three-pointers and finishing 8-of-14 from the field. Houston’s frontcourt production created consistent pressure on Toronto’s defense throughout the night.
Alperen Sengun added a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds while facilitating offense from the post. The Rockets dominated the glass, outrebounding the Raptors 53-30 and generating 22 second-chance points.
Houston started aggressively in the opening quarter, shooting 60 percent from the field and controlling the boards. However, six turnovers helped Toronto stay close as the teams finished the period tied at 29.
The Rockets regained momentum before halftime with a 14-4 run that stretched the lead to 58-49 at the break. Durant’s midrange scoring and Houston’s rebounding advantage fueled the run.
The home team maintained control in the second half behind efficient offense and defensive stops. Houston finished the game shooting 49 percent from the field while holding Toronto to 44 percent shooting.
Toronto’s perimeter struggles limited its comeback chances. The Raptors made just 9 of 36 attempts from three-point range, a 25 percent mark that stalled several possessions.
RJ Barrett led Toronto with 25 points on 10-of-18 shooting while grabbing six rebounds. Scottie Barnes added 24 points and five rebounds but committed three turnovers as Houston tightened its defense late.
Immanuel Quickley contributed 12 points and six assists, but the Raptors struggled to create consistent spacing against Houston’s length and rebounding advantage.
Clint Capela also provided key minutes off the bench for the Rockets, pulling down 10 rebounds in just 13 minutes to extend several possessions.
Toronto will look to respond quickly when it visits the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday. Houston continues its road trip with a matchup against the Denver Nuggets.
