Dillon Brooks scored a season-high 28 points, and Tari Eason contributed 22 points off the bench as the Houston Rockets dominated the Portland Trail Blazers, winning 116-88 on Friday.
Brooks made 10 of 15 shots, including 6 of 8 from 3-point range, leading the Rockets to their seventh win in their last eight games. Houston improved to 2-0 in West Group A of the NBA Cup, while Portland is 1-1.
Eason also grabbed eight rebounds and had two steals in 22 minutes of play. Amen Thompson added 10 points and 11 rebounds, while Jalen Green scored 17 points and Alperen Sengun finished with 14 points and nine rebounds. All five Houston starters played 30 minutes or less in preparation for a back-to-back game with the Trail Blazers on Saturday.
For Portland, Shaedon Sharpe and Deni Avdija each scored 13 points. The Blazers shot just 33 percent from the field and turned the ball over 21 times, which Houston capitalized on, scoring 28 points off those turnovers.
Portland initially jumped out to an 8-0 lead, as Houston struggled with turnovers early in the game. However, Brooks’ layup with 4:36 left in the first quarter gave the Rockets their first lead at 11-10. They never gave it up and finished the first quarter ahead 31-20 after an 11-3 run, which included two 3-pointers by Green.
Houston shared the ball well, recording seven assists on 10 field goals before the second quarter. Sharpe’s three-point play pulled Portland within 51-40 with 4:10 left in the first half. However, the Rockets responded with a 14-5 run to close the half, including a layup and 3-pointer from Brooks, and two free throws by Green, to take a 65-45 lead at halftime.
In the third quarter, Portland cut the lead to 81-66, but Brooks hit two more 3-pointers, and Sengun dunked to push Houston’s lead to 89-66. Eason added three transition dunks as Houston stretched their lead to 100-73 heading into the fourth quarter.
