Kevin Durant gives Houston breathing room in playoff race
Mar 31, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) shoots the ball as New York Knicks forward/guard Og Anunoby (8) defends during the second quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
The Houston Rockets delivered an impressive offensive display by defeating the New York Knicks 111-94 on Tuesday. Kevin Durant led the charge with 27 points, allowing his team to secure a third consecutive victory after two straight losses.
A decisive first quarter for Houston
The Rockets took command from the opening tip and were never behind on the scoreboard. With 37 points scored in the first quarter, Houston quickly built a gap to lead by 20 points entering the final quarter. The lead was still 19 points with two minutes remaining, allowing both teams to rotate their bench players.
Kevin Durant and Tari Eason were the architects of this explosive start, combining for 23 points together with four made 3-pointers in the first quarter. Eason, starting in place of Reed Sheppard, finished the game with 17 points and eight rebounds.
Kevin Durant 27 PTS, 6 REB, 8 AST, 2 BLK, 10/18 FG, 4/7 3FG, 68.3% TS vs Knicks pic.twitter.com/IOSWa1BDco https://t.co/r5pcydTHao
— Basketball Performances (@NBAPerformances) April 1, 2026
A solid team performance
The Rockets’ strength was illustrated by the contribution of all their starters, each scoring at least 13 points. Amen Thompson added 17 points, Jabari Smith Jr.. scored 15, while Alperen Sengun contributed 13 points and 10 assists to lead the team in that category. Reed Sheppard provided 20 valuable points off the bench, along with five rebounds.
For the Knicks, Karl-Anthony Towns tried to keep his team afloat with 22 points and eight rebounds, but it was not enough. New York suffered a third consecutive loss after a seven-game winning streak, each of these three defeats coming by double digits.
The Knicks attempted a comeback late in the third quarter, closing to within 12 points thanks to a 3-pointer by Jalen Brunson. But Houston immediately responded by scoring the next seven points, taking advantage of two New York turnovers to extend their lead to 87-68 with approximately 90 seconds remaining in the quarter.
This victory erased the 108-106 loss suffered in New York during the first meeting of the season in February. The Rockets will host the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night, while the Knicks will travel to Memphis.
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