Rockets Vs Hornets: Kevin Durant’s 35-Point Night Lifts Houston to 105-101 Road Win, Ties Kareem Record
The Rockets Vs Hornets matchup ended in a 105-101 victory for Houston, highlighted by a historic 35-point performance from Kevin Durant that tied an all-time mark. The win moved the Rockets to 34-20 while the Hornets dropped to 26-30, with both teams facing immediate implications in their conferences.
Rockets Vs Hornets — Durant’s milestone and box score impact
Kevin Durant played 36 minutes and finished with 35 points on 14-of-20 shooting, including 2-of-4 from three and 5-of-5 from the free-throw line. He also added eight rebounds, four assists, three blocks and one steal while committing a single turnover. That 35-point outing marked the 429th 30-point game of Durant’s career, tying Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the sixth-most such games in NBA history.
The performance represented Durant’s highest scoring night in more than a month and followed a recent 31-point effort against the same opponent earlier in the month. Through 51 games this season, the 37-year-old is averaging 26. 0 points, 5. 4 rebounds and 4. 4 assists while shooting 51% from the field and 40. 4% from three-point range.
Team performance, turning points and supporting contributions
Houston shot 48. 8% from the field but struggled from deep, finishing 9-of-32 (28. 1%). The Rockets compensated by dominating the paint 48-32 and converting 12-of-13 free throws (92. 3%). Defensive pressure translated into 16 fast-break points, with the team recording 15 steals and eight blocks while forcing 16 turnovers; Houston finished with 11 turnovers compared to the Hornets’ 16, a difference that proved significant in a four-point game.
Supporting performances included Jabari Smith Jr., who scored 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting with 2-of-3 from three, adding seven rebounds, a block and a steal. Alperen Sengun contributed 13 points and seven assists on 6-of-16 shooting, and Reed Sheppard also scored 13. The Rockets overcame an 11-point first-half deficit and later built a 95-84 lead with five minutes remaining, a swing that set up the final stretch.
For Charlotte, Grant Williams led with 20 points on 7-of-10 shooting, including 4-of-5 from three. Brandon Miller scored 17 points but struggled in one account, shooting 1-of-12 from deep and 5-of-22 overall. LaMelo Ball, playing a day after a car accident, finished with 11 points, seven assists and seven rebounds. Rookie Kon Knueppel added 15 points and hit multiple late threes. Durant closed the game with 10 fourth-quarter points, sealing the result with two free throws with 3. 2 seconds remaining.
Standings implications and next steps for both teams
The win improved Houston to 34-20 and kept the Rockets fourth in the Western Conference, one game ahead of the team behind them and one game behind the team ahead. The Hornets fell to 26-30 and remained 10th in the Eastern Conference, one game behind the ninth-place team. Houston will next travel to face the New York Knicks on Saturday, while Charlotte is scheduled to host the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday.
Recent updates indicate the result has immediate playoff-picture implications for both clubs and that player availability and form will be closely watched in the coming games. Details may evolve as teams prepare for those upcoming matchups.
