Durant's 30-point outburst helped the Rockets narrowly defeat the Pacers 126-119.

December 30th - The Rockets defeated the Pacers 126-119 . For the Rockets, Durant scored 30 points, 6 rebounds , and 5 assists; Smith contributed 21 points and 10 rebounds; and Thompson added 20 points, 8 rebounds , and 7 assists. For the Pacers, Siakam scored 23 points , 4 rebounds , and 4 assists, but it wasn't enough to stop the team's losing streak.

After the game started, the Rockets, led by Durant, rallied to take the lead and extend it to 9 points. The Pacers narrowed the gap towards the end of the first quarter, and the Rockets led 30-25 at the end of the quarter . In the second quarter, the Pacers tied the game, but the Rockets then widened the gap to 22 points. Despite the Pacers' efforts to catch up, the Rockets maintained a significant advantage at halftime, 66-48 .

After switching sides, the Rockets started strong again, extending their lead to 28 points. Durant contributed 13 points in the third quarter. Led by Siakam, the Pacers gradually narrowed the gap, at one point closing to 15 points. The Rockets stabilized at the end of the quarter, maintaining their lead at 105-78 after three quarters . In the final quarter, the Pacers relied on outside shooting to cut the deficit to 7 points. In the crucial moments, the Rockets regained the lead through consistent offense and rebounding control. Ultimately, the Rockets narrowly defeated the Pacers 126-119.

Pacers player data

Pascal Siakam 23 points , 4 rebounds, 4 assists; Nesmith 14 points , 3 rebounds , 3 assists; Mathelin 14 points , 3 rebounds , 4 assists; Walker 12 points , 2 rebounds , 3 assists; Nembuhad 11 points , 1 rebound , 2 assists; Foff 9 points , 4 rebounds , 1 assist; Huff 8 points , 4 rebounds , 1 assist; Jackson 7 points; Peter 6 points , 1 rebound

Rockets player statistics

Durant 30 points , 6 rebounds, 5 assists; Smith 21 points , 10 rebounds , 2 assists; Thompson 20 points , 8 rebounds, 7 assists; Sheppard 13 points , 1 rebound , 3 assists; Ethan 13 points, 8 rebounds , 1 assist; Adams 8 points , 5 rebounds; Capela 6 points, 7 rebounds , 1 assist; Finney - Smith 6 points , 2 rebounds; Okogie 3 points , 3 rebounds.