Rockets win fifth straight by blasting Jazz

Kevin Durant scored 25 points to pace six in double figures as the Houston Rockets extended their winning streak to five games with a 140-106 victory over the visiting Utah Jazz on Friday.

Amen Thompson paired 21 points with eight rebounds while Alperen Sengun added 19 points and five assists for the Rockets (48-29), who led wire to wire and by as many as 37 points.

Jabari Smith Jr. (18 points) and Reed Sheppard (12 points, seven assists) made four 3-pointers each, while Tari Eason added 16 points and seven rebounds off the bench. Houston shot 55.4% and finished 15 for 32 from behind the arc while converting 13 Utah turnovers into 23 points.

Brice Sensabaugh scored nine of his 20 points in the third quarter, including a jumper at the 3:40 mark of that period that sliced a 23-point deficit to 88-74.

But Eason led a 19-4 close to the third with nine points. Sheppard added a pair of treys while Sengun chipped in a dunk and two free throws that built the lead to 107-78 entering the fourth.

Cody Williams posted 27 points and 11 rebounds for Utah. Kyle Filipowski added 17 points and seven rebounds while reserve Oscar Tshiebwe (15 points, 10 rebounds) had a double-double.

The Jazz (21-57) were without Lauri Markkanen (hip) and Keyonte George (hamstring), their two leading scorers, and suffered their 12th loss in the last 13 games.

Smith and Sheppard drilled consecutive 3-pointers midway through the opening period to lift the Rockets to a 21-13 lead. Thompson later added a three-point play before Eason beat the shot-clock buzzer to help Houston carry a 34-22 lead into the second quarter.

Smith tallied eight points during a flurry in the second that bumped the lead to 49-31 at the 6:42 mark. Durant followed with a pair of 3-pointers, the second coming with 5:36 left in the half to extend the cushion to 55-32. The Rockets led 69-50 at the intermission and, after Sensabaugh caught fire in the third to help Utah pose a threat, Eason and Sheppard snuffed that rally.