![\"NBA:](\"https:\/\/images.deadspin.com\/tr:w-900\/28324634.jpg\")
Feb 23, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. (10) grabs a defensive rebound against Utah Jazz forward Cody Williams (5) in the second quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images <\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\nJabari Smith Jr. scored a game-high 31 points, Kevin Durant and Tari Eason chipped in double-doubles and the Houston Rockets rolled to a 125-105 victory over the visiting Utah Jazz on Monday.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n Smith shot 12 of 17, drilled six 3-pointers and grabbed nine rebounds to ignite the Rockets, who won for the fourth time in six games. Durant paired 18 points with a season-high 12 assists while Eason logged 11 points and 10 rebounds.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n Amen Thompson added 20 points on 8-for-9 shooting and pulled down seven rebounds for the Rockets, who dominated the glass with a plus-16 margin.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n Houston’s Alperen Sengun flirted with a triple-double (16 points, nine rebounds and nine assists). Reed Sheppard tallied 15 points on five 3-pointers off the bench.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n Lauri Markkanen scored 29 points but missed 9 of 10 from behind the arc for the Jazz, who played without Keyonte George (ankle), their second-leading scorer. Brice Sensabaugh posted 26 points and four treys as Utah took its third loss in a row.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n <\/p>\n Behind Smith, the Rockets erased an early turnover-fueled deficit with a hail of 3-pointers. Utah, courtesy of its full-court pressure, seized a quick 9-6 lead before Smith caught fire. Smith scored 14 first-quarter points on four 3-pointers and a fastbreak dunk, and Houston carried a 38-22 lead into the second period after drilling 8 of 13 from behind the arc.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n Durant, who nailed a 3-pointer just before the period expired, and Sheppard hit two 3-pointers each in the first.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n The Rockets missed all three of their 3-point tries in the second but countered with a whopping 26 points in the paint. The Jazz opened the second with a 13-2 blitz that shaved the deficit to 40-35, only for the Rockets to respond with a flurry of transition baskets.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n Durant was the catalyst of the fastbreak attack. He recorded six assists in the second quarter, and Houston scored 14 fastbreak points in the period. Thompson sank a floater in the lane off a Sengun screen for a 58-37 lead with 3:58 to go in the second, and Houston took a 68-47 lead into halftime.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n Smith gave the Rockets an 86-56 advantage on a fadeaway jumper with 5:22 left in the third quarter.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n Houston eventually led by as many as 33 points. On the plus side for the Jazz, they converted 27 Rockets turnovers into 34 points.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n