Houston, Texas– Kevin Durant scored 30 points in three quarters to lead the Houston Rockets to an easy victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers 117-100 on Saturday night.
The Rockets won their second straight game after losing four of the previous five games.
Durant, who had seven assists and four rebounds, did not play in the fourth quarter with Houston leading by 27 points after three.
The Cavaliers cut the deficit to 12 on a basket by Darius Garland with about seven minutes left in the third quarter before Houston went on a 15-0 run to make it 85-58 about two minutes later. After Durant dunked in that stretch, Cleveland coach Kenny Atkinson received a technical warning for yelling at officials, and Durant made the free throw.
Jabari Smith Jr. capped the drive with a 3-pointer before Dean Wade hit a 3 to give the Cavaliers their first points in more than four minutes.
Reserve Jaylon Tyson scored 23 points and grabbed 14 rebounds. Donovan Mitchell added 16 points on 7-for-17 shooting for the Cavaliers, who lost their second straight game and fifth in their last seven.
The Rockets scored seven straight points, including 3s from Tari Eason and Smith, to take a 16-12 lead and never trailed again.
Tyson then hit a shot for the Cavaliers, but Houston went on a 12-2 run, with nine points from Durant, pushing the lead to 28-16 late in the first half.
Reed Sheppard added 18 points and eight assists for the Rockets. Smith scored 15 points to tie his career high with his fifth straight game with at least 15 points.
Houston’s Steven Adams had nine points and eight assists, replacing All-Star player Alberin Singon, who missed the game with calf tightness.
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