Houston Rockets 104–86 Atlanta Hawks: Durant Dominates as Rockets Crush Short-Handed Hawks – Sportsphere24
The Houston Rockets delivered a statement win on the road, defeating the Atlanta Hawks 104–86 at State Farm Arena on January 29, 2026. Kevin Durant starred with 31 points, guiding Houston from a narrow halftime edge to a dominant second-half blowout that snapped Atlanta’s four-game winning streak.
Tight First Half in Atlanta
The opening 24 minutes were closely contested, with the teams tied 23–23 after the first quarter. By halftime, Houston held a 43–42 advantage, but the game still felt wide open.
Atlanta, missing key starters Onyeka Okongwu and Jalen Johnson, relied on CJ McCollum (23 points), Nickeil Alexander-Walker (20), and Corey Kispert (17) to keep pace. Houston leaned heavily on Durant’s scoring and Jabari Smith Jr.’s spacing, but turnovers and missed chances prevented a wider margin early on.
Rockets Blow It Open After the Break
Houston turned the tide in the third quarter, outscoring Atlanta 35–24 to flip momentum. Durant was unstoppable from mid-range and beyond the arc, while Jabari Smith Jr. and rookie Reed Sheppard punished Atlanta’s defense whenever it collapsed on KD.
Sheppard’s three-pointer extended Houston’s lead to 90–70, their first 20-point advantage of the night, breaking Atlanta’s resistance. The Rockets maintained control in the fourth quarter, winning it 26–20 and never letting the Hawks get closer than double digits.
Key Contributors on Both Sides
Durant’s 31 points led Houston, but Smith Jr. added 14, and Sheppard chipped in 13 off the bench, hitting multiple threes during the decisive run. Alperen Şengün, playing through a right ankle sprain, posted 9 points and 13 rebounds, helping Houston dominate the glass and limit second-chance opportunities.
For Atlanta, McCollum (23 points), Alexander-Walker (20), and Kispert (17) scored efficiently, but the absence of Okongwu and Johnson exposed weaknesses in size and interior defense.
Injury Context and Standings Impact
Atlanta’s frontline injuries forced smaller, less physical rotations, which Durant and Şengün exploited repeatedly. Houston’s win improved their record to 29–17, consolidating their position near the top of the Western Conference and asserting them as contenders.
The Hawks dropped to 24–26 overall and 9–14 at home, a setback in their Eastern Conference push and a warning as the play-in race heats up.