Big shots late lift Rockets, who cool off Hornets
Kevin Durant poured in 35 points on 14-for-20 shooting as the Houston Rockets fended off the host Charlotte Hornets for a 105-101 victory in the first game after the All-Star break Thursday night.
Jabari Smith Jr. added 15 points and Alperen Sengun and Reed Sheppard both scored 13 points for the Rockets, who benefitted from 16 Charlotte turnovers. Houston has won five consecutive road games.
The Hornets had won 10 of their previous 11 games, but they had too many rough patches that prevented them from sweeping the season series.
Grant Williams cranked in 20 points, while Brandon Miller posted 17 points despite 1-for-12 shooting on 3-pointers in the loss. Kon Knueppel scored 15 points and Ryan Kalkbrenner added 12. LaMelo Ball, playing a day after he was involved in an automobile accident, had 11 points in 31 minutes, making one of his six 3-point attempts.
The Rockets shot only 9-for-32 on 3s. Durant was 2-for-4 and also collected a team-best eight rebounds.
Williams, who also had a game-high nine rebounds, accounted for four of Charlotte's 14 long-range baskets.
The Hornets led 74-69 midway through the third quarter before sputtering on offense. That allowed Houston to go up 80-78 entering the fourth quarter.
Charlotte was within 97-93 with 2:39 left in the fourth when Durant made the next two baskets. But a basket by Williams and Knueppel's 3 gave the Hornets a chance in the final minute as the closed within 101-98.
Durant's jumper extended the margin before Knueppel's 3 at the 5.7-second mark made it a two-point game. Durant made two free throws with 3.2 seconds to play to putt the game away.
Until his late 3s, it had been a rough night for Knueppel, as the rookie was charged with five turnovers.
The Hornets led by 11 in the first quarter, but the Rockets moved ahead in the second quarter, leading 53-52 at halftime.
The Hornets played without center Moussa Diabate and forward Miles Bridges because of their suspensions from a brawl last week with the Detroit Pistons.