Houston RocketsOpen full analysis
Portland Trail BlazersOpen full analysis
Portland edged Houston 103–102 on January 7 at the Moda Center in a defensive struggle that fell well short of the 222.5-point Vegas total. Dario Avdija led the Trail Blazers with 41 points, supported by Shaedon Sharpe's 20, while Kevin Durant paced the Rockets with 37 points and Alperen Şengün added 24. Houston dominated the boards 57–38 and blocked seven shots, yet shot just 37.4 percent from the field compared to Portland's 43.4 percent. The Blazers made 12 three-pointers to Houston's eight, and both teams struggled with ball security, combining for 27 turnovers. Portland's second quarter proved decisive, outscoring Houston 32–25 to build separation they would not relinquish despite Houston's 28-point fourth quarter push. The Rockets' offensive rating of 100.2 and Portland's defensive rating of 100.2 reflected a game decided by marginal efficiency. The one-point victory keeps Portland competitive in the Western Conference race.
