Durant scores 31 points as Rockets dominate second half and roll past short-handed Hawks 104-86 | National Sports

ATLANTA (AP) — Kevin Durant scored 31 points and the Houston Rockets beat short-handed Atlanta 104-86 on Thursday night, ending the Hawks’ four-game winning streak.

The Rockets dominated the second half after leading only 43-42 at halftime. Jabari Smith had 14 points and Reed Sheppard added 13. Sheppard’s 3-pointer gave the Rockets their first 20-point lead, 90-70.

kAm%96 w2H^2CE:4=6^@<@?8HF\;2J=6?\3C@H?\92H0D@FC46l4@AJU2>AjFE>0>65:F>lD92C6Qm~?J6<2 ~<@?8HFk^2m DF776C65 2 56?E2= 7C24EFC6 H96? 96 H2D 6=3@H65 😕 E96 >@FE9 😕 pE=2?E2VD k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^92H0D@FC46l4@AJU2>AjFE>0>65:F>lD92C6Qm“f\`_e H:?k^2m 2E q@DE@? @? (65?6D52J ?:89E] u@CH2C5 y2=6? y@9?D@? H2D CF=65 @FE H:E9 =67E 42=7 E:89E?6DD]k^Am

kAm%96 w2H:DD $2EFC52JVD 82>6 2E x?5:2?2]k^Am

kAm%96 w2H:DD:?8 46?E6C zC:DE2AD !@CK:?8:D W=67E p49:==6D E6?5:?:E:DX 2?5 7@CH2C5 +24492C:6 #:D2496C W=67E 66[ 3@?6 4@?EFD:@?X] %H@\H2J C@@<:6 pD2 }6H6== H2D C642==65 7C@> v {628F6 r@==686 !2C< 367@C6 E96 82>6] r6?E6C r9C:DE:2? z@=@<@[ H9@ D:8?65 H:E9 pE=2?E2 @? y2?] `f[ >256 9:D 7:CDE DE2CE 😕 9:D 7:7E9 82>6 H:E9 E96 w2H

kAmry |4r@==F> =65 pE=2?E2 H:E9 ab A@:?ED] }:4<6:= p=6I2?56C\(2=<6C 925 a_ 2?5 r@C6J z:DA6CE 25565 `f]k^Am

kAm#@4<6ED 46?E6C p=A6C6? $6?8F? WC:89E 2?<=6 DAC2:?X 925 ?:?6 A@:?ED 2?5 `b C63@F?5D 27E6C 36:?8 =:DE65 2D BF6DE:@?23=6]k^Am

kAmw@FDE@? @FED4@C65 pE=2?E2 bd\ac 😕 E96 E9:C5 A6C:@5 2?5 4@?E:?F65 E@ DEC6E49 E96 =625 😕 E96 7:?2= A6C:@5]k^Am

kAmw@FDE@? 46?E6C r=:?E r2A6=2 D4@C65 `_ A@:?ED 😕 9:D 7:CDE C6EFC? E@ pE=2?E2 D:?46 96 H2D k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^<6G:?\5FC2?E\EC256\D6G6?\E62>D\6cg3g2bb7a7c76`h`g_d6hh64ba5d_f7nFE>0D@FC46l4@AJU2>AjFE>0>65:F>lD92C6QmEC2565 E@ E96 #@4<6EDk^2m @? yF=J e[ a_ad] r2A6=2 96=5 FA 3@E9 92?5D 😕 2 H2G6 E@ E96 72?D 27E6C 96 H2D 9@?@C65 H:E9 2 G:56@ EC:3FE6 5FC:?8 2 7:CDE\BF2CE6C E:>6@FE]k^Am

k9am&A ?6IEk^9am

kAm#@4<6EDi w@DE s2==2D @? $2EFC52J ?:89E]k^Am

kAmw2H

k9C ^m

kAmp! }qpi k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^?32Qm9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^}qpk^2mk^Am

Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.