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Charlotte Hornets
vsHouston Rockets

Hornets

101
Game StatusFinal

Rockets

105

Durant scores 35 points as Rockets hold on to beat Hornets 105-101

Game Article

Game Recap

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Kevin Durant scores 35 points in a win over the Hornets.
Kevin Durant scores 35 points in a win over the Hornets.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- — Kevin Durant made two free throws with 3.2 seconds left for the last of his 35 points, and the Houston Rockets held on to beat the Charlotte Hornets 105-101 on Thursday night.

Jabari Smith Jr. added 15 points, and Reed Sheppard and Alperen Sengun each had 13 for Houston. The Rockets overcame an 11-point first-half deficit.

Grant Williams led the Hornets with 20 points. Brandon Miller scored 17 points, but was 1 of 12 from 3-point range.

LaMelo Ball, playing a day after being involved in a two-car crash in downtown Charlotte, had 11 points, seven assists and seven rebounds.

The Hornets, who had won 11 of 12 going into the All-Star break with the only loss coming to Eastern Conference-leading Detroit, looked sharp early and bolted to an 11-point lead early in the second quarter.

But the Rockets would start to pull away in the fourth quarter with Sengun making a spinning reverse layup against rookie 7-foot- center Ryan Kalkbrenner and baby hook shot on back-to-back possessions to Houston its biggest lead at 95-84 with five minutes left.

Charlotte's Kon Knueppel, who came into the game second in the league in 3-pointers, would make two 3s down the stretch but Durant was too much.

He hit four mid-range jumpers and scored 10 points in the fourth quarter including one to beat the shot clock with 44 seconds left when he drove the left side of the lane and elevated above traffic.

After Knueppel's third 3 cut it to 103-101 with six seconds left, the Hornets were forced to foul and Durant made both free throws to put the game away.

Up next

Rockets: At New York on Saturday night.

Hornets: Host Cleveland on Friday night.

------

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

Game Information

Game Information

Time, Location & Referees
Spectrum Center
Venue
Spectrum Center
Charlotte, NC
Date & Time
12:00 AM, February 20, 2026
Coverage
FanDuel SN SE, Space City Home Network, NBA League Pass
Attendance
19,622
Referees
Brian Forte, Scott Foster, Pat O'Connell

Regular Season Series

Series tied 1-1
Final
HOU
99
CHA
109
Final
CHA
101
HOU
105

Game Analysis

Statistics visualization

Game Stats

Get the latest game stats
Rockets
Hornets
42-86FG36-84
49Field Goal %43
9-323PT14-42
28Three Point %33
12-13FT15-18
8Offensive Rebounds12
31Defensive Rebounds34
19Assists25
15Steals7
8Blocks3
11Turnovers16
0Technical Fouls0
15Points Conceded Off Turnovers23
16Fast Break Points8
15Fouls12
11Largest Lead11

Current Standings

2025-26 Southwest Standings

TEAMWLPCTSTRK
San Antonio5918.766W11
Houston4829.623W5
Memphis2552.325L3
New Orleans2553.321L7
Dallas2453.312L3

2025-26 Southeast Standings

TEAMWLPCTSTRK
Atlanta4533.577W4
Charlotte4236.538W3
Orlando4136.532W1
Miami4037.519L1
Washington1759.224L4

Play by Play

Play By Play

Recent plays and game events
TIMEPLAY
12:00
Alperen Sengun vs. Ryan Kalkbrenner (LaMelo Ball gains possession)
00
11:34
Ryan Kalkbrenner makes driving layup (Brandon Miller assists)
20
11:10
Kevin Durant makes 13-foot fade away jump shot
22
10:59
Kon Knueppel makes 25-foot three point jumper (LaMelo Ball assists)
52
10:41
Alperen Sengun misses 9-foot floating jump shot
52
10:39
LaMelo Ball defensive rebound
52
10:31
Grant Williams makes 23-foot three point jumper (Ryan Kalkbrenner assists)
82
10:18
Kevin Durant makes 16-foot pullup jump shot
84
10:05
LaMelo Ball misses 27-foot three point pullup jump shot
84
10:03
Grant Williams offensive rebound
84
9:57
Kevin Durant blocks LaMelo Ball's driving dunk
84
9:55
Kevin Durant defensive rebound
84
9:49
Amen Thompson lost ball turnover (Kon Knueppel steals)
84
9:30
Brandon Miller misses 27-foot three point jumper
84
9:26
Alperen Sengun defensive rebound
84
9:18
Kevin Durant misses 27-foot three point jumper
84
9:15
Kon Knueppel defensive rebound
84
9:05
Ryan Kalkbrenner makes 2-foot two point shot (LaMelo Ball assists)
104
8:51
Jabari Smith Jr. makes 25-foot three point jumper (Alperen Sengun assists)
107
8:40
Jabari Smith Jr. blocks Ryan Kalkbrenner 's 1-foot dunk
107
8:40
Hornets offensive team rebound
107
8:39
Brandon Miller misses 23-foot three point jumper
107
8:37
Jabari Smith Jr. defensive rebound
107
8:27
Alperen Sengun makes driving layup
109
8:09
LaMelo Ball makes 15-foot driving floating jump shot (Kon Knueppel assists)
129
7:58
Alperen Sengun misses 26-foot three point jumper
129
7:55
Kon Knueppel defensive rebound
129
7:39
Kevin Durant blocks Brandon Miller 's 2-foot driving dunk
129
7:37
Kevin Durant defensive rebound
129
7:30
Tari Eason makes 23-foot running jump shot (Kevin Durant assists)
1212
7:29
Hornets Full timeout
1212
7:11
Amen Thompson vs. Ryan Kalkbrenner (Tari Eason gains possession)
1212
7:11
Kon Knueppel bad pass turnover (Amen Thompson steals)
1212
7:03
Alperen Sengun bad pass turnover (LaMelo Ball steals)
1212
6:59
Brandon Miller makes 1-foot dunk (LaMelo Ball assists)
1412
6:39
Alperen Sengun misses 14-foot fade away jump shot
1412
6:36
LaMelo Ball defensive rebound
1412
6:29
Grant Williams makes 10-foot driving floating jump shot (LaMelo Ball assists)
1612
6:10
Amen Thompson misses 22-foot three point jumper
1612
6:08
LaMelo Ball defensive rebound
1612
5:58
Kon Knueppel bad pass turnover (Jabari Smith Jr. steals)
1612
5:47
Kevin Durant makes 11-foot pullup jump shot (Alperen Sengun assists)
1614
5:31
Amen Thompson shooting foul
1614
5:31
Ryan Kalkbrenner makes free throw 1 of 2
1714
5:31
Josh Green enters the game for Kon Knueppel
1714
5:31
Tidjane Salaun enters the game for Grant Williams
1714
5:31
Reed Sheppard enters the game for Alperen Sengun
1714
5:31
Clint Capela enters the game for Amen Thompson
1714
5:31
Ryan Kalkbrenner makes free throw 2 of 2
1814
5:11
Tari Eason misses 23-foot three point jumper
1814
5:10
Tari Eason offensive rebound
1814
5:08
Tari Eason makes 2-foot dunk
1816
5:02
LaMelo Ball misses driving floating jump shot
1816
5:01
Clint Capela defensive rebound
1816
4:49
Reed Sheppard bad pass turnover (Josh Green steals)
1816
4:45
Josh Green makes driving dunk
2016
4:31
Kevin Durant lost ball turnover (Tidjane Salaun steals)
2016
4:27
Reed Sheppard blocks Tidjane Salaun 's 2-foot running dunk
2016
4:27
Hornets offensive team rebound
2016
4:27
Sion James enters the game for LaMelo Ball
2016
4:20
Sion James makes 22-foot three point jumper (Brandon Miller assists)
2316
4:02
Kevin Durant makes 6-foot pullup jump shot (Reed Sheppard assists)
2318
3:45
Sion James makes 24-foot three point jumper (Ryan Kalkbrenner assists)
2618
3:20
Tari Eason misses driving layup
2618
3:17
Sion James defensive rebound
2618
3:16
Kevin Durant personal foul
2618
3:16
PJ Hall enters the game for Ryan Kalkbrenner
2618
3:16
Amen Thompson enters the game for Jabari Smith Jr.
2618
3:16
Dorian Finney-Smith enters the game for Tari Eason
2618
2:59
Tidjane Salaun makes 27-foot three point jumper (Brandon Miller assists)
2918
2:39
Kevin Durant makes 12-foot fade away jump shot
2920
2:22
Brandon Miller makes 11-foot pullup jump shot
3120
2:12
Reed Sheppard makes 29-foot three pointer (Amen Thompson assists)
3123
1:50
Kevin Durant blocks Brandon Miller 's 27-foot three point pullup jump shot
3123
1:49
Hornets offensive team rebound
3123
1:49
Clint Capela loose ball foul
3123
1:49
Rockets Full timeout
3123
1:49
Kon Knueppel enters the game for Josh Green
3123
1:49
Tre Mann enters the game for Brandon Miller
3123
1:49
Alperen Sengun enters the game for Kevin Durant
3123
1:36
Sion James misses 24-foot three point jumper
3123
1:34
Amen Thompson defensive rebound
3123
1:25
Sion James personal foul
3123
1:14
Alperen Sengun misses 5-foot two point shot
3123
1:12
PJ Hall defensive rebound
3123
51.0
Tidjane Salaun makes 2-foot layup (PJ Hall assists)
3323
33.5
Tidjane Salaun shooting foul
3323
33.5
Alperen Sengun makes free throw 1 of 2
3324
33.5
Jabari Smith Jr. enters the game for Reed Sheppard
3324
33.5
Tari Eason enters the game for Clint Capela
3324
33.5
Alperen Sengun misses free throw 2 of 2
3324
31.2
Tidjane Salaun defensive rebound
3324
13.9
Kon Knueppel misses 7-foot floating jump shot
3324
11.9
Jabari Smith Jr. defensive rebound
3324
0.2
Amen Thompson misses 25-foot three point jumper
3324
0.2
Sion James defensive rebound
3324
0.0
End of the 1st Quarter
3324

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