Three Takeaways As Houston Rockets Outlast Toronto Raptors

After a dominant home performance to clinch their first win of the season last Monday, the Houston Rockets have packed their bags for a brief two-game road trip.

Their road trip to the East Coast is off to a good start, as the Rockets dismantled the Toronto Raptors with a 139-121 victory within the ScotiaBank Arena on Wednesday night.

Houston led by seven at halftime and erupted for the remainder of the ball game to clinch its second consecutive win. The Raptors attempted to fight back, but the Rockets maintained their composure to ace the matchup.

Capitalizing on the Raptors' small frontcourt, the Rockets feasted under the glass. They destroyed the home team in the rebounding battle (53-22) and registered 66 points in the paint with 27 fastbreak points.

It was a wire-to-wire domination with seven players having double-digits in points tallied. Here are the main takeaways from the Rockets' victory:

1. Kevin Durant Leads Rockets With More Strong Scoring Play

sdfsd — Oct 27, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) leaves the court following the game against the Brooklyn Nets at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images | Erik Williams-Imagn Images

Once again, Kevin Durant served as the driving force for the Rockets.

The Houston superstar erupted for a 31-point performance, shooting 11-of-19 from the field with four triples. He was also highly impactful at the defensive side with three rejections.

The Raptors threw everything against Durant, but the Rockets forward was simply hitting his shots, especially down the line. From isolation plays and mid-range shots, Durant couldn't be stopped in leading Houston for a key victory.

2. Jabari Smith Jr. Torches Raptors With A Red-Hot Performance

adsad — Oct 29, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith (10) drives to the net against Toronto Raptors guard Scottie Barnes (4) during the first half at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

Jabari Smith Jr. erupted for a solid shooting clinic to help the Rockets win over the Raptors.

The Rockets big posted 25 points, shooting 8-16 from the floor along with four triples. He also had five rebounds, five assists, two steals and a block across 38 productive minutes.

Smith Jr.'s hot performance propelled the Rockets' early momentum in the matchup. From both ends of the floor, he served as the team's X-factor in beating the Raptors.

3. Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson Provides Key Support

asdsa — Oct 27, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) warms up prior to the game against the Brooklyn Nets at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images | Erik Williams-Imagn Images

As two of the Rockets' top all-around players, Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson stuffed the stat sheet once again.

Sengun dropped an efficient 18-point display in 6-8 shooting with nine assists and eight boards. He was also huge defensively with two steals and two blocks.

Meanwhile, Amen Thompson was also great with his 18 points along with nine boards and seven assists.

Both Rockets stars nearly had triple-double performances, but victory remains important as Houston will now go to Boston for a weekend showdown against the Celtics.