The Houston Rockets overpowered the Utah Jazz 140-106 on Friday at Toyota Center, marking their fifth consecutive victory.
Kevin Durant scored 25 points on 8-of-12 shooting, adding five assists, while Amen Thompson contributed 21 points and Alperen Sengun added 19 to help the Rockets improve to 48-29.
Durant reached 20 or more points with 50% shooting for the 45th time this season, second only to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Houston shot 55% from the field and 47% from three, controlling the game from start to finish.
Cody Williams led Utah with 27 points and 11 rebounds, but the Jazz struggled from distance, making only five of 27 three-pointers, and fell to 21-57 after their eighth straight loss.
Houston opened with a 5-0 run and never trailed, building a 12-point lead after the first quarter. A 12-2 burst early in the second extended the margin to 17, and the Rockets led 19 at halftime.
The Jazz briefly cut the deficit to 14 in the third quarter, but Houston responded with a 19-4 run to push the lead to 29 heading into the fourth. Tari Eason scored during the runs, finishing with 16 points, including 7-of-10 shooting.
Jabari Smith Jr. scored 18 points, while Reed Sheppard added 12 with seven assists. Clint Capela, coming off the bench, contributed 16 rebounds to solidify Houston’s advantage on the glass.
The Rockets remain a game behind the Denver Nuggets for fourth place in the Western Conference, having already clinched a playoff spot. Utah will visit the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday, while Houston faces the Golden State Warriors.
