HOUSTON, Texas — The Houston Rockets are 3-0 for the first time since the 2017-18 season, and they get a chance to make it four straight on Monday night in Houston, Texas, when the Atlanta Hawks come to town to wrap up a home-and-home set.
Houston won the first half of the pair 121-114 in Atlanta on Saturday, its third win in four nights. The Rockets opened with a home victory over Dallas on Wednesday and won at San Antonio on Friday before finishing the back-to-back against the Hawks.
Kevin Durant led the way with 22 points in Atlanta and sealed it with two free throws in the final 19 seconds after the Hawks trimmed a 20-point deficit to five. Seven Rockets reached double figures. Amen Thompson had 17 points and 11 rebounds for his third double-double in a row, and Alperen Sengun added 17 points and 10 boards. Houston grabbed 13 offensive rebounds that turned into 22 second-chance points.
Reed Sheppard has stepped up while the backcourt is thin. Starting in place of Fred VanVleet, he scored 19 points with five made 3-pointers, seven assists, six rebounds and two steals.
Injuries are still a story for Houston. Reserve center Steven Adams, nursing a calf injury, has already been ruled out for Monday, and guard Marcus Smart is questionable with a forearm problem. VanVleet was not on the team’s injury report.
For Atlanta, Jalen Johnson was the big problem on Saturday, scoring 26 points with a career-best-tying 16 assists. Nickeil Alexander-Walker chipped in 18, and former Thunder wing Aaron Wiggins scored 16 off the bench in his first home game for Atlanta.
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