Kevin Durant’s 30 points power Rockets to 126-119 win over Pacers
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HOUSTON (AP) — Kevin Durant scored 30 points to lead the Houston Rockets to a 126-119 win over the Indiana Pacers on Monday night.
It’s the second straight 30-point game for Durant and his 10th this season, his first in Houston since a blockbuster summer trade from Phoenix.
Jabari Smith Jr. had 21 points with 10 rebounds and Amen Thompson added 20 points, eight rebounds and seven assists for the Rockets, who have won three in a row after dropping four of their previous five games during a tough road trip.
It’s the ninth consecutive loss for the Pacers, who have the NBA’s worst record at 6-27 with Tyrese Haliburton out all season with an Achilles injury.
The Rockets led by 27 to start the fourth and were up by 16 when coach Ime Udoka cleared the bench with 2 1/2 minutes to go.
Pascal Siakam had 23 points to lead the Pacers and Aaron Nesmith added 14 with four 3-pointers.
The Rockets led by 16 at halftime and used a 12-3 spurt after the break to push the lead to 78-51 with about 10 minutes left in the third quarter. Smith had two 3-pointers in that stretch and Durant added four points.
Houston remained up by 27 midway through the third before the Pacers went on a 14-2 run to get within 89-74 with about four minutes remaining in the quarter. Siakam scored six points in that time and Bennedict Mathurin and Andrew Nembhard capped the run with 3s.
The Rockets rediscovered their offense after that, using a 16-4 run, with 3-pointers from Reed Sheppard and Dorian Finney-Smith, to take a 105-78 lead into the fourth quarter.
Houston’s Steven Adams had eight points and five rebounds in his second straight start for All-Star Alperen Sengun, who is out with calf tightness. Adams left in the third quarter with a sprained right ankle and didn’t return.
Up Next
Pacers: Host Orlando on Wednesday.
Rockets: Visit Brooklyn on Thursday night.
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA