Durant steadies a deep Rockets bench
Houston is 3-0 after a 121-114 win in Atlanta overnight, its best opening since the 2017-18 season. Kevin Durant led the Rockets with 22 points, and the depth did the rest. Tari Eason scored 19 off the bench, Reed Sheppard matched him as a starter, and seven Houston players reached double figures.
Amen Thompson recorded a third straight double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Alperen Sengun added 17 and 10.
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Atlanta nearly flipped it
Houston built a lead of up to 20. Atlanta cut it to five late, but Durant calmly sank two free throws with 18.9 seconds left to end the rally.
Jalen Johnson did everything for the Hawks: 26 points, nine rebounds and 16 assists, tying his career high in passes. Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Dyson Daniels both scored 18. Aaron Wiggins, who joined from Oklahoma City in the summer, added 16 in his first home game for Atlanta.
The problem was the arc. The Hawks made 12 of 45 threes, including 5 of 22 in the first half, and lost their home opener after winning their first two on the road.
Offensive rebounding as a weapon
Houston led the league in offensive rebounding last season and has not changed. The Rockets grabbed 13 offensive boards and turned them into 22 second-chance points. Sheppard also bounced back from a 1-for-6 night from deep in the opener, hitting 5 of 11.
The two sides meet again Monday, this time in Houston.
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