Guest Hawks writer here with a quick, clean read on this one.

Houston did exactly what a good team is supposed to do against a short-handed opponent. The Rockets took control after halftime and never gave Atlanta a path back, pulling away for a 104–86 win Thursday night behind 31 points from Kevin Durant.

The game was tight early — Houston led just 43–42 at the break — but the third quarter flipped everything. The Rockets outscored Atlanta 35–24, ramped up the defensive pressure and started getting cleaner looks on the other end. By the time Reed Sheppard buried a 3 to push the lead to 20, the tone was set. Jabari Smith’s steady production and Houston’s control of the paint did the rest.

From Atlanta’s side, the context matters. The Hawks were missing four frontcourt rotation players: Onyeka Okongwu (dental fracture), Jalen Johnson (left calf), Kristaps Porziņģis (left Achilles tendinitis) and Zaccharie Risacher (left knee). Christian Koloko made his first start with the team, and a two-way rookie was recalled the day of the game. That margin for error disappears quickly against a team playing with structure.

Still, Houston deserves credit for how professionally it handled the night. Even with Alperen Sengun limited by an ankle sprain, the Rockets won the physical battle and dictated pace once the game tilted. Atlanta’s C.J. McCollum, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Corey Kispert kept scoring respectable, but the offense stalled once Houston strung together stops.

A notable moment for Hawks fans: Clint Capela’s video tribute in his first game back in Atlanta since being traded. The ovation was deserved.

Bottom line: this was a businesslike win for Houston — capitalize early, separate after halftime, close cleanly. That’s a strong look heading into a tougher test with Dallas coming to town.