Durant shines as Rockets avenge Nuggets loss

Kevin Durant scored 31 points as the Houston Rockets bounced back from a controversial overtime loss to beat the Denver Nuggets 115-101 on Saturday.

Houston coach Ime Udoka was fined $25,000 by the NBA earlier this week after lambasting the officiating in the Rockets’ 128-125 defeat to Denver on Monday.

But the Rockets avenged that loss with a hard-fought victory as the Western Conference rivals faced off again in Denver on Saturday.

Durant delivered a talismanic performance which included five three-pointers, while Reed Sheppard came off the bench to score 28 points after making six-of-nine from outside the arc.

Houston improved to 17-8 with the win to remain fifth in the Western Conference, while Denver are third in the table at 20-7.

In Toronto, Payton Pritchard’s 33 points helped the Boston Celtics to a 112-96 defeat of the Raptors.

Pritchard added eight rebounds and 10 assists while five other Boston players finished in double figures as the Celtics improved to 17-11.

In Philadelphia, number one draft pick Cooper Flagg and Anthony Davis scored 24 points apiece but it was not enough to prevent the Dallas Mavericks from slipping to a 121-114 loss to the 76ers, who were inspired by a 38-point salvo from Tyrese Maxey.

AFP