NBA Notes: Rockets, Kevin Durant, Thunder, Jalen Williams, Knicks

Rockets

After dropping five of seven, Houston has steadied itself again, writes ESPN’s Michael C. Wright.

The Rockets have rattled off three straight wins, pushing their record to 20-10. It marks the second consecutive season the Rockets have reached that mark through 30 games, something the franchise hadn’t done since 2019-20.

The challenge now shifts to the road. Houston will play five away games over its next six, beginning Thursday in Brooklyn, a stretch that should offer a clearer picture of where this team stands in the West.

Veteran leadership remains central. Kevin Durant has delivered four 30-point performances over his past seven games, providing consistent scoring as the schedule tightens.

Meanwhile, Amen Thompson continues to show steady growth, coming off his sixth game this season with at least 20 points, five rebounds, and five assists.

If the Rockets can carry this balance into a demanding road stretch, the early-season results will look increasingly sustainable rather than coincidental.

Thunder

Since returning from a complicated right wrist injury, Jalen Williams has been good. But not quite great yet, notes Anthony Slater of ESPN.

Over his past 13 games, Williams is averaging 17.3 points while shooting 45 percent, a modest dip from last season’s 21.6 points on 48.4 percent shooting.

The all-around impact is still there. He’s contributing five assists, five rebounds, and nearly two steals per night, remaining one of the league’s more reliable two-way wings.

The next step is fairly clear. Williams is taking fewer threes and making fewer of them, a sign he’s still working his way back into rhythm.

As his comfort and aggressiveness increase, Oklahoma City figures to benefit. If the scoring climbs to match the rest of his game, the Thunder may become even more difficult to deal with.

Knicks

Here come the Knicks.

New York has quietly pulled within a game of East-leading Detroit, doing so with a pair of road wins that weren’t pretty but still counted. Doing it without Josh Hart, sidelined by an ankle injury, only adds to the resume.

Head coach Mike Brown continues to get meaningful contributions from his bench. Tyler Kolek has delivered, but so have Mohamed Diawara, who scored 18 points in 18 minutes in New Orleans, and Kevin McCullar Jr., who posted 13 points and eight rebounds in Atlanta.

The directive entering the season was at least partial development. So far, Brown is checking that box.