Jalen Green scored 27 points and Alperen Sengun added 19 points, nine rebounds and six assists to help the Houston Rockets notch a 123-107 victory over the host Portland Trail Blazers on Friday night.
Fred VanVleet had 18 points and 10 assists for the Rockets, who outscored the Trail Blazers 68-44 in the second half. Houston has won three of its last four games.
Amen Thompson had 16 points, eight rebounds and five blocked shots; Jabari Smith Jr. added 15 points and nine rebounds; and Cam Whitmore contributed 13 points and eight boards for the Rockets.
Dalano Banton scored a career-high 30 points and Anfernee Simons added 23 for the Trail Blazers, who lost for the 12th time in 14 games. Duop Reath added 16 points and Kris Murray registered 12 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists for Portland.
The Trail Blazers shot 41.6 percent from the field, including 16 of 35 (45.7 percent) from 3-point range while losing their ninth straight home game.
Houston made 47.9 percent of its shots and was 14 of 37 from behind the arc, a 37.8 percent clip.
Deandre Ayton (wrist) missed his fifth straight game for Portland.
The Rockets led by five entering the final quarter and pushed the lead to 99-88 on Jock Landale’s 3-pointer with 8:47 left in the game.
A 3-pointer by VanVleet and two free throws by Whitmore gave Houston a 104-90 lead with 7:23 left in the contest.
Green knocked down a 3-pointer to boost the lead to 109-93 with 4:48 remaining and the Rockets closed it out.
The Trail Blazers led 70-58 early in the third quarter before Houston answered with seven straight points.
Portland later held a 77-70 lead with 6:44 left in the period after two free throws by Toumani Camara before the Rockets rolled off 11 consecutive points.
A basket by Whitmore put Houston ahead during the run. Whitmore later split two free throws before Thompson made two from the line to give the Rockets an 81-77 lead with 4:44 remaining.
Portland was ahead by two later in the quarter before Green drained consecutive 3-pointers to give the Rockets an 88-84 lead with 2:11 left. Houston led 92-87 entering the final stanza.
Simons scored 16 points to help the Trail Blazers hold a 63-55 halftime lead. Smith scored 11 in the half for the Rockets.
–Field Level Media