The Rockets continued to capitalize on one of the softer stretches of their schedule, and on Friday night, they looked every bit like a team determined to stack wins while the opportunity lasts. Behind Kevin Durant’s effortless 30 points and a near triple-double from Alperen Sengun, Houston blew past the Trail Blazers 140-116 in NBA Cup action.
Houston dominated the game defensively after halftime, turned Portland’s mistakes into countless fastbreak opportunities, and controlled the pace of the game despite an early start for the Blazers. This win gives the Rockets eight victories in their last nine, and more importantly, they showed a killer instinct that never wavered as soon as they captured the lead. For Rockets fans, that is a very welcome sign.
Houston’s excellent two-way play completely overwhelmed a Blazers team that simply could not protect the ball, and the Rockets happily turned 20 Portland turnovers into 30 points while improving to 1-1 in Cup play. Let’s dive into the four major takeaways of this matchup.
Kevin Durant Set The Tone Early
Durant was cooking like fish grease from the opening tip, torching Portland for 16 first-quarter points and forcing the Blazers to chase him over screens all night. He finished with 30 points on a hyper-efficient 12-of-19 shooting, including 3-for-6 from deep.
His mid-range was automatic, and he added five rebounds and three assists in 36 minutes while posting a game-high +37. The Rockets built their early lead on his shot-making, and Portland never found a way to take him out of his flow.
What made Durant’s night even more impactful was how well his production made everyone around him better. The Rockets shot 50% from the field and 38% from three, and Durant’s ability to bend the defense opened the door for Jabari Smith Jr., Reed Sheppard, and Amen Thompson to find clean looks of their own.
Alperen Sengun Nearly Posts a Triple-Double In A Dominant Showing
Sengun bullied Portland’s frontcourt, posting 25 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists on 9-of-13 shooting. The Blazers had no answer for him in the post or as a playmaking hub at the elbows, and his ability to draw help defenders created a steady diet of wide-open threes for Houston.
He also went 4-of-6 from beyond the arc, which has been a weapon that has made the Rockets’ offense even harder to guard during this recent surge. Sengun also added three steals and three blocks while leading a team effort that produced 16 steals and held Portland to 36% from three.
When Houston opened the third quarter on an 8-0 run, Sengun was at the heart of everything by attacking the glass, using his passing skills, and even hitting three-pointers. His +21 reflected exactly how much he controlled the rhythm of the game.
Houston’s Second-Quarter Run Blew the Game Open
This matchup was tight until late in the second quarter, when Houston flipped a 58-57 lead into a nine-point halftime advantage by closing the half on an 11-3 burst. Josh Okogie’s tip-in at the buzzer pushed the Rockets ahead 69-60, and it became a turning point.
From there, Houston hammered Portland with pace, starting the third quarter on an immediate 8-0 run to inflate the lead to 17. By the time the Blazers stabilized, the Rockets’ cushion never fell below double digits again.
They finished with 23 fast-break points compared to Portland’s nine and repeatedly ran off turnovers. The Blazers gave the ball away 20 times while Houston committed only six. Those mistakes directly turned into 30 Rockets points.
Portland’s Strong Individual Games Meant Nothing
To their credit, several Blazers had strong nights on the offensive end. Deni Avdija posted 22 points and 10 rebounds on 7-of-15 shooting, Shaedon Sharpe added 19 and 8 rebounds, and Toumani Camara delivered 16 points on 6-12 from the field.
Portland shot a respectable 47% from the field and hit 13 threes, which is normally enough to stay in the mix of an NBA game and possibly win it. But giving Houston 16 steals and 30 points off turnovers negated nearly all of their offensive output.
The defensive issues made the problem worse. Portland allowed Houston to shoot 53-of-106 overall, including 17 made threes and 56 points in the paint. Even when the Blazers tried to cut it to single digits, Houston’s depth, from Steven Adams’ 11 rebounds off the bench to Reed Sheppard’s 13 points and +17, made sure Portland never truly threatened a comeback.
