PHOENIX (AP) — Amen Thompson netted 28 points, Aaron Holiday contributed 22 points from the bench, and the Houston Rockets triumphed over the Phoenix Suns 114-92 on Monday evening, despite the absence of superstar forward Kevin Durant from the roster for the first occasion this season.
The Rockets achieved their 11th win in 13 matches, recovering from the defeat against the Nuggets on Friday night. The Suns had their three-game winning streak interrupted.
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Houston maintained the lead for the majority of the game, never falling behind after the early minutes of the first quarter. The Rockets headed into the final quarter with an 84-75 advantage, and the Suns never managed to come within six points.
Thompson posted a shooting performance of 10 of 16 from the field, along with eight assists and seven rebounds. Holiday hit six three-pointers.
Durant — a 15-time All-Star who leads the team with an average of 24.6 points per game — was absent due to personal matters.
The game was somewhat underwhelming following Sunday’s announcement that Durant would not be participating, postponing his return to the city where he spent the last 2 1/2 seasons.
The Suns traded Durant to the Rockets during the offseason as part of a seven-team deal, acquiring Dillon Brooks, Jalen Green, and the No. 10 overall pick in the draft, which Phoenix utilized to select Duke center Khaman Maluach.
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Brooks topped the Suns with 29 points on 11 of 22 shooting. Devin Booker logged 18 points, while Collin Gillespie contributed 16. Phoenix finished with a shooting percentage of 41.3% from the field and committed 20 turnovers, resulting in 26 points for Houston.
The Rockets headed into halftime with a 59-50 lead. Holiday scored 12 points for the Rockets before the intermission, while Brooks and Gillespie combined for 13 points for the Suns.
Houston has secured five consecutive victories over Phoenix. The 92 points scored by the Suns marked a season low.
Up next
Rockets: At Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night.
Suns: At Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night.
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
