Kevin Durant scored 30 points to go with six rebounds and five assists to lead the Rockets to a 126-119 win over the Pacers on Monday night at the Toyota Center in Houston. The Rockets led by more than 20 points for much of the second half, but the Pacers’ deep bench helped them win the fourth quarter 41-21 to make the score more respectable.

The Pacers have lost nine straight games and fall to 6-27, the worst record in the NBA. The Rockets improved to 20-10 with their third straight win and sit tied for fourth in the Western Conference with the Lakers.

Forward Jabari Smith Jr. added 21 points, 10 rebounds and three blocked shots for the Rockets. Point guard Amen Thompson posted 20 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. Guard Tari Eason had 13 points and eight rebounds and guard Reed Sheppard added 13 points. Forward Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with 23 points. Wings Aaron Nesmith and Bennedict Mathurin had 14 each. Forward Jarace Walker added 12.

Pacers can’t stop Kevin Durant — or anyone else, really

The Rockets were missing arguably their best current player in center Alperen Sengun, who was missing with a left calf strain, so they simply leaned into one of the greatest scorers in the game’s history.

The 37-year-old Kevin Durant — the NBA’s eighth all-time leading scorer with No. 7 Wilt Chamberlain in his sights — has been every bit the desperately needed perimeter scorer the Rockets acquired him to be, averaging 25.4 points per game going into Monday’s game. With Sengun out, he delivered a vintage performance against the Pacers, knocking down unguardable mid-range jumpers while sticking in just enough 3-pointers to force Indiana to have to guard him everywhere. The Pacers used Pascal Siakam, Aaron Nesmith, Johnny Furphy and Jarace Walker on the assignment and they mostly made him work for his shots — with the exception of a wide-open 3 he hit on a blatant defensive miscommunication — but the 6-11 Durant simply just kept floating in jumpers over top of them.

Durant scored 30 points on 13 of 20 shooting for the 10th 30-plus point game of his season and the 419th of his career. He managed to pile up all those points without a layup but was 11 of 14 from from between 7 and 17 feet. He was also 2 of 6 from beyond the 3-point ac.

Durant wasn’t the only player the Pacers had a hard time stopping. The Rockets shot 49 of 83 from the floor (59%) and 10 of 27 from 3-point range, finishing with 1.28 points per possession. They slowed down in the fourth period, but they took control in the middle two quarters when they were a combined 31 of 47 from the floor for 75 total points, posting better than 1.4 points per possession in both the second and third quarters. The Rockets went on a 20-3 run in the second quarter and never allowed the Pacers back within double figures of the lead until late in the fourth.

The Rockets finished with five players in double figures. All nine players who played at least 10 minutes shot 50% from the floor or better.

Rockets win the muscle stats big

Houston leads the NBA in rebounds, offensive rebounds and second-chance points, so the Pacers knew going in they’d have an issue there, especially with Isaiah Jackson out with a concussion and centers Jay Huff and Tony Bradley playing through injuries.

The glass turned out to be every bit as much of a problem as the Pacers could have expected if not more so, even with Sengun out. The Rockets won the rebounding battle 50-30, they grabbed 14 offensive rebounds to the Pacers’ eight and most importantly won the second-chance points battle 25-9. They made 10 of 12 second-chance field goals.

The Rockets long-armed defenders also kept the ball out of the paint and they were able to get it there at will on offense. They won the points in the paint battle 56-46 with 18 of the Pacers’ point in the paint coming in the fourth quarter, which they won 41-21.

Pacers get individual bright spots

Collectively, the Pacers lost control of the game in the second quarter, but there were bright individual moments throughout what was mostly a blowout.

Forward Aaron Nesmith played in his second game since returning from a left knee sprain and he continues to shoot the ball well. He finished 5 of 8 from the floor and 4 of 6 from beyond the 3-point arc for his 14 points. He’s 7 of 14 from 3-point range in the two games since his return.

Siakam continued a steady season with 23 points on 8 of 16 shooting and four assists. Forward Jarace Walker has not had a steady season, but he was 5 of 7 from the floor and hit a pair of 3-pointers in Durant’s face. Two-way contract guards Taelon Peter and Quenton Jackson scored a combined 13 points in 3:42 in the fourth quarter for the ferocious but ultimately untenable comeback.

Dustin Dopirak covers the Pacers all season. Get more coverage on IndyStarTV and with the Pacers Insider newsletter.