The Houston Rockets are officially back and poised to get more victories on the win column.

It has been a concerning progress from the past week, but the Rockets are now promisingly back on track. Saturday’s 117-100 home victory against the Cleveland Cavaliers is solid proof of that.

After a statement victory on Christmas Day against the Los Angeles Lakers, the Rockets returned to Toyota Center. And they welcomed the visiting Cavs this weekend with an all-out two-way play.

The Rockets dominated the entire game from start to finish, and that’s a promising sign.

Here are the key takeaways on their latest win:

1. Kevin Durant Came Out Firing

Once again, it was Kevin Durant who led the way for Houston to clinch another satisfying victory.

With Alperen Sengun out because of a calf injury, Durant took matters into his own hands to carry the Rockets. As such, he surely delivered by delivering a masterful shooting clinic by finishing with 30 points in 11-of-17 shooting along with seven dimes.

Durant’s 24 points in the first half lifted Houston for a strong start, and the rest of the team just followed to demolish the Cavs.

2. Houston Performs Strong Defensive Masterclass

Led by the star backcourt of Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland, the Cavaliers are one of the elite offensive teams in the NBA this season. But tonight, they were simply not at their best against this lockdown Rockets squad.

Along with their red-hot offense, the Rockets clamped down on the Cavs defensively. They hindered Cleveland to just 43 percent shooting from the field. Also, the Cavaliers just shot 11-35 from the three-point line.

The reinsertion of Tari Eason to the starting five definitely played a huge role in the Rockets’ defensive showing. Mitchell was restricted to just 16 points in 7-of-17 shooting, while Garland was passive with only 12 markers.

3. Reed Sheppard With Another Solid Bench Play

Undeniably, Reed Sheppard’s productive off-the-bench numbers served as the Rockets’ X-factor in this blowout win against the Cavs.

The promising Houston guard succeeded again in leading the team’s second unit. In 32 minutes, Sheppard, dropped 18 points and splashed four treys. He also dished out eight assists, and was a huge asset on the Rockets’ defensive stand with four steals.

It was truly a commendable step-up from Sheppard to aid Durant in the wake of Sengun’s absence.