Jabari Smith Jr. erupted for 31 points and nine rebounds, and Amen Thompson added 20 points as the Houston Rockets rolled past the Utah Jazz 125-105 on Monday night.
Smith set the tone early, knocking down his first five shots and tying a career high with 14 points in the opening quarter. He finished 12-of-17 from the field and buried six 3-pointers in an efficient all-around performance. Thompson was nearly flawless as well, shooting 8-of-9 while contributing seven rebounds, three assists and two steals.
Kevin Durant chipped in 18 points and dished out a season-high 12 assists, while Reed Sheppard scored 15 off the bench. With the victory, Houston (35-21) moved into third place in the Western Conference, trailing only the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs.
The Rockets built a 38-22 lead after one quarter, fueled by 67% shooting and eight 3-pointers. Despite committing nine early turnovers, Houston used 11-2 and 10-3 runs to seize control. Utah briefly rallied with a 13-2 run to open the second quarter, but Houston answered with an 18-2 burst and carried a commanding 68-47 lead into halftime.
Houston pushed the advantage to as many as 33 points in the second half and never allowed the margin to dip below 16. The Rockets piled up 29 fast-break points—one shy of their season high—but also committed a season-high 27 turnovers, which led to 34 Utah points.
Lauri Markkanen led the Jazz (18-40) with 29 points, while Brice Sensabaugh added 26 off the bench on 10-of-15 shooting. Utah has dropped three straight. Forward Vince Williams Jr. exited in the second quarter with a left knee injury and will undergo an MRI, according to head coach Will Hardy.
Up next:
The Jazz host the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday and Saturday, while the Rockets welcome the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday.
