Kevin Durant scored 31 points to spark the visiting Houston Rockets to a strong second half and a 104-86 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday.
The Rockets, who scored only 37 points in the second half in Wednesday’s loss to San Antonio, shook off the travel fatigue to outscore the Hawks 61-44 over the final two quarters and win the first of two meetings between the clubs.
Houston has won six of its last eight games. The loss ended Atlanta’s four game winning streak and prevented the Hawks from reaching the .500 mark for the first time since Dec. 21.
Durant, who entered the game averaging 29.3 points in 32 career games against Atlanta, was 12-for-22 from the floor, including three 3-pointers. Atlanta native Jabari Smith added 14 points and eight rebounds and Reed Sheppard scored 13. Josh Okogie had 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Atlanta was led by C.J. McCollum with 23 points, including five 3s, with five rebounds. Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 20 and Corey Kispert scored 17 points.
The Hawks played without four starters. Leading scorer Jalen Johnson sat out the game with calf tightness and Onyeka Okongwu was absent because of a dental fracture suffered when he was struck in the face with an elbow Wednesday. Atlanta was already without Zaccharie Risacher (left knee bone bruise) and Kristaps Porzingis (left Achilles tendinitis).
The Hawks led by as many as seven in the first quarter, thanks largely to 10 points from Alexander-Walker, but the Rockets scored the final five points to tie the game 23-23.
The game was tied five times in the second quarter with the Rockets taking a 43-42 lead at the break on a basket by Amen Thompson.
The Rockets used a 13-2 run to take a 10-point lead, its biggest of the night. Houston outscored Atlanta 35-24 in the third quarter and led 78-66 going into the fourth quarter. Houston outscored the Hawks 12-4 to start the fourth quarter and led by 22 points twice.
