Rockets Surge Past Raptors 139-121 as Durant Shines with 31 Points

UPDATE: In a stunning performance, the Houston Rockets dominated the Toronto Raptors 139-121 on October 29, 2025, led by Kevin Durant’s impressive 31 points. This victory marks a crucial back-to-back win for Houston, now improving to 2-2 this season.

Durant not only showcased his scoring ability but also contributed five rebounds and one assist to the team effort. The Rockets displayed their depth with Jabari Smith Jr. adding 25 points and Alperen Sengun nearly achieving a triple-double with 18 points, nine assists, and eight rebounds.

In a critical moment, Durant’s driving layup midway through the third quarter capped a decisive 16-6 run that solidified Houston’s control over the game. Toronto’s Scottie Barnes matched Durant’s scoring with 31 points, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Rockets, who outscored the Raptors 66-36 in the paint.

The absence of Toronto’s starting center Jakob Poeltl, ruled out earlier due to lower back stiffness, proved detrimental. The Raptors, now struggling with a record of 1-4, suffered from a significant size disadvantage, allowing Houston to out-rebound them 53-22. Rookie Collin Murray-Boyles stepped in for his first career start, contributing 13 points and two assists in 25 minutes.

Despite a strong shooting performance from beyond the arc—Toronto hit 21 of 40 three-point attempts (52.5%)—the Raptors could not clinch the win. The game’s start time was adjusted to accommodate fans eager to catch the Toronto Blue Jays in the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Looking ahead, the Raptors will travel to Cleveland to face the Cavaliers on Friday, while the Rockets will head to Boston for a showdown with the Celtics on Saturday.

This game serves as a stark reminder of the challenges Toronto faces without key players, and the Rockets will be looking to build on their momentum in the coming matches.

Stay tuned as we continue to cover this developing story.