Kevin Durant tied Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s record in a win against the Hornets

The Houston Rockets returned from the All-Star break with a 105-101 win over the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday, led by a historic performance by Kevin Durant. Durant scored 35 points in 36 minutes, shooting 14 of 20 from the field (70%), 2 of 4 from three-point range and 5 of 5 from the free throw line. He matched that with eight rebounds, four assists, three blocks and one steal while committing just one turnover.

Coming out with 35 points it was the 429th game with 30 points Durant’s career, tying Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for sixth in NBA history. He now sits two behind Kobe Bryant for fifth on the all-time list. It was Durant’s best performance in more than a month and followed a 31-point performance against Charlotte on Feb. 5. Through 51 games this season, the 37-year-old is averaging 26.0 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.4 assists while shooting 51% from the field and 40.4.

Houston shot 48.8% overall, but struggled from deep, finishing 9-of-32 (28.1%). The Rockets compensated by outscoring Charlotte 48-32 in the paint and shooting 12-of-13 (92.3%) at the line. They also forced 16 turnovers (23 per one report) and recorded 15 steals and eight blocks, turning defensive pressure into 16 fast-break points. Houston finished with 11 turnovers compared to the Hornets’ 16, a key factor in the four-point game.

Jabari Smith Jr. had 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting and 2-of-3 from three, seven rebounds, a block and a steal. Alperen Sengun contributed 13 points and seven assists despite shooting 6-of-16, while Reed Shepard also scored 13. The Rockets overcame an 11-point deficit in the first half to take a 95-84 lead with five minutes left.

For Charlotte, Grant Williams led the way with 20 points on 7-of-10 shooting (4-of-5 from three). Brandon Miller scored 17, but shot 1-of-12 from deep and 5-of-22 overall in one stretch. LaMelo Ball, playing the day after the car accidentfinished with 11 points, seven assists and seven rebounds. Rookie Kon Knueppel scored 15 points and hit several late 3-pointers, but Durant finished with 10 points in the fourth quarter, including two free throws with 3.2 seconds left.

The win improves Houston to 34-20 and keeps them in fourth place in the Western Conference, one game ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers and one game behind the Denver Nuggets. The Hornets, having won 11 of 12 at the break, remain 10th in the Eastern Conference at 26-30, one game behind the Atlanta Hawks.

The Rockets will hit the road against the New York Knicks on Saturday, while Charlotte will host the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday.