Durant powers Rockets past Jazz to seal playoff berth

Houston tightened its grip on a postseason spot with a commanding 140–106 win over Utah, extending its streak to five and pushing its record to 48–29 while keeping Denver’s fourth place within reach. Kevin Durant set the tone with 25 points and five assists, delivering his forty‑fifth game above twenty points on better‑than‑fifty‑percent shooting, a mark trailing only Shai Gilgeous‑Alexander league‑wide.

Amen Thompson added 21 and Alperen Sengun chipped in 19 as the Rockets’ offense flowed from the opening tip. Houston struck first with a 5–0 burst, then broke the game open with an 11–3 run capped by Tari Eason for a 34–22 lead. Utah briefly responded early in the second quarter, but another Houston surge pushed the margin to 23 by halftime. Cody Williams battled with 27 points and 11 rebounds, supported by Bailey’s 22 and Sensabaugh’s 20, yet Utah’s 5‑for‑27 three‑point shooting doomed any comeback, sealing its eighth straight loss.