Three Takeaways from the Rockets’ Clutch Win over Hornets

The Houston Rockets won a huge game on the road against the Charlotte Hornets, 105-101, in comeback fashion on Thursday night. This was the first game for Houston after the All-Star break, and the Rockets have now won five straight road games and the last four matchups in Charlotte.

After losing badly in the first game against the Hornets this season, the Rockets evened up the series. The Hornets had won 10 out of their last 11 entering this game. Houston improves to 34-20 overall. Here are three takeaways from the game.

Clutch KD Showed Up

Feb 19, 2026; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) during the second quarter against the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

The last 10 points in the game by the Rockets were all from Kevin Durant. When Houston needed him the most in the end, he delivered once again. Durant put up a game-high 35 points on 14/20 shooting in 36 minutes, along with eight rebounds and four assists. He also added four blocks and only one turnover.

Durant had 16 first-half points and led the charge on offense. The Hornets would just not go away even after Houston went up 11 late in the fourth quarter. Durant had the answer every single time. He made three consecutive highly contested midrange jumpers to close it out.

The most critical shot from Durant was his 17-foot pull-up jumper when the Rockets led 101-98 with under a minute to go. That bucket made it a five-point game. This game showcased the exact reason why the Rockets made the trade for Durant last offseason.

Second Quarter Dominance

The Rockets were down by 11 points early in the second quarter, and the game was just not going their way. The Hornets were on fire to start the game, but everything started to shift in the Rockets’ favor deeper into the second period. That was because of the defense.

The Rockets had eight blocked shots in the first half, compared to 0 for Charlotte. The Rockets eventually outscored the Hornets 29-19 in the second quarter. That was due to a dominant 17-2 run, that included 14 straight from the Rockets.

The run was through free throws, Smith Jr. going on a personal 6-0 run, and Durant. While KD was the leading scorer, Jabari Smith Jr. had nine first-half points and 15 overall on 67% shooting, second on the team. He also added seven rebounds. Nobody on the Hornets scored double-digit points in the first half.

Houston brought the turnovers down. They had six in the first half, the same amount as the Hornets. The Rockets shot 50% in the first half and heated up as the Hornets cooled down. The Hornets were 8/18 in the first half from downtown while the Rockets hit six of their own at 31%. The Rockets did well taking advantage of Charlotte double-teaming Durant and had some nice ball movement to create quality shots.

The Rockets ended up with 15 steals overall compared to just seven for the Hornets.

Rockets Bench Delivers

The Rockets bench has not been a consistent contributing factor in the season for the most part, but that group came to life in this one. Guard Reed Sheppard has turned into a sixth man for this team, and he contributed with 13 points, four rebounds, three assists, a steal, and two blocks.

Dorian Finney-Smith had one of his better games of the season with eight points in 23 minutes of action, the most he’s had all season. He made two 3-pointers and added four rebounds. Jae’Sean Tate also had seven points.

Houston overall shot 49% from the field compared to 43% for Charlotte and had 11 turnovers. The Rockets will continue the road trip and travel out to Madison Square Garden to take on the New York Knicks on Saturday evening.