Nets lose to Rockets, 120-96, on New Year's Day

NEW YORK (AP) — Kevin Durant had 22 points and a season-high 11 assists, Amen Thompson scored 23 points and the Houston Rockets beat the Brooklyn Nets 120-96 on Thursday night for their fourth straight victory.

Alperen Sengun had 20 points, six rebounds and six assists after a two-game absence for the Rockets, who started fast in both halves to win in Brooklyn for the first time in seven years. Tari Eason finished with 15 points and nine rebounds, and Jabari Smith Jr. and Reed Sheppard each scored 14 points.

Sengun was 8 for 12 from the floor after sitting out two games with a left calf injury.

Cam Thomas scored 21 points for the Nets, who dropped their second straight after winning three in a row for the only time this season. Ziaire Williams added 14.

Michael Porter Jr., who leads the Nets with a career-high 25.8 points per game, missed the game with an illness along with injured starting guards Egor Demin and Terance Mann. Without them, Brooklyn never led in its first home loss to Houston since Nov. 2, 2018, after winning the last six meetings.

The Nets went 7-4 in December and allowed an NBA-low 104.6 points per game, but the Rockets jumped on them immediately to start the new year. Houston made its first seven shots en route to a 16-5 lead, went up by 14 in the second quarter and took a 53-42 advantage to the break.

Houston then made its first five three-pointers and started 8 for 9 overall in the second half. Smith and Eason each hit two threes and Thompson made one in a 19-5 run that extended their 11-point lead to 74-49 when Smith hit back-to-back threes.

The Rockets played without centers Steven Adams (sprained right ankle) and Clint Capela (illness).