Kevin Durant took over after halftime, and the Houston Rockets followed his lead, pulling away from the Atlanta Hawks for a 104-86 road win Thursday night that snapped Atlanta’s four-game winning streak.
Durant scored 31 points on 12-of-22 shooting, pouring in 19 after the break as Houston turned a tight game into a one-sided finish at State Farm Arena. The Rockets, sharp and assertive coming out of the locker room, dominated the third quarter 35-24 and never let Atlanta regain momentum.
Houston outscored the Hawks 61-44 over the final two quarters, a decisive response one night after managing just 37 second-half points in a loss at San Antonio. The victory improved the Rockets to 29-17 and marked their sixth win in eight games.
Alperen Şengün anchored the interior despite a tough shooting night, finishing with nine points, 13 rebounds (seven on the offensive end), four assists, and three blocks in 28 minutes. Josh Okogie delivered energy off the bench with 10 points and 10 rebounds, while Atlanta native Jabari Smith Jr. added 14 points and eight boards.
Atlanta, now 24-26, leaned heavily on CJ McCollum, who scored 23 points with five 3-pointers, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who had 20. Corey Kispert chipped in 17, but the Hawks faded late while shorthanded.
Atlanta played without four starters, including leading scorer Jalen Johnson (calf tightness) and Onyeka Okongwu, sidelined after suffering a dental fracture Wednesday. Zaccharie Risacher (left knee bone bruise) and Kristaps Porzingis (left Achilles tendinitis) also remained out.
The Hawks briefly controlled the early tempo, leading by seven in the first quarter, but Houston closed the period strong to tie it at 23. The second quarter featured five ties before Amen Thompson’s basket gave the Rockets a 43-42 halftime edge.
Houston seized command with a 13-2 burst midway through the third and carried a 78-66 lead into the fourth. The Rockets opened the final period on a 12-4 run, pushing the margin past 20 and effectively sealing the outcome.
Flagg, Knueppel trade history in Dallas thriller
Elsewhere Thursday, the Charlotte Hornets edged the Dallas Mavericks 123-121 in a game that doubled as a historic rookie showcase.
Dallas rookie Cooper Flagg, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 draft, erupted for a career-high 49 points, setting a new NBA record for most points by a teenager. The 19-year-old shot 20-of-29 from the floor, added 10 rebounds and became the highest-scoring rookie in franchise history, but it wasn’t enough to prevent the Mavericks from falling to 19-29.
Charlotte rookie Kon Knueppel answered with 34 points, drilling eight 3-pointers to set a Hornets rookie record. A former Duke teammate and roommate of Flagg, Knueppel sealed the win with two free throws in the final seconds as Charlotte improved to 21-28.
The matchup marked the first time in NBA history that two rookies from the same college scored 30 or more points against each other in the same game, a fitting headline for a night defined by star power, established and emerging alike.