Durant, who also had seven assists and four rebounds, didn’t play in the fourth quarter with Houston up by 27 points after three.
The Cavaliers cut the lead to 12 on a basket by Darius Garland with about seven minutes left in the third quarter before Houston used a 15-0 run to make it 85-58 about two minutes later. After a dunk by Durant in that stretch, Cleveland coach Kenny Atkinson received a technical for yelling at the officials and Durant made the free throw.
Jabari Smith Jr. capped the run with a 3-pointer before Dean Wade made a 3 to give the Cavaliers their first points in more than four minutes.
Reserve Jaylon Tyson had 23 points and a career-high 14 rebounds. Donovan Mitchell added 16 points on 7-for-17 shooting for the Cavaliers, who dropped a second straight game and their fifth in the last seven games.
The Rockets scored seven straight points, with 3s from Tari Eason and Smith, to take a 16-12 lead and never trailed again.
Tyson hit a shot for the Cavaliers after that but Houston then used a 12-2 spurt, with nine points from Durant, to push the lead to 28-16 late in the first.
Reed Sheppard added 18 points and eight assists off the bench for the Rockets. Smith had 15 points to tie a career high with his fifth straight game with at least 15 points.
Houston’s Steven Adams had nine points and eight assists starting in place of All-Star Alperen Sengun, who missed the game with calf tightness.
Up next
Cavaliers: Visit San Antonio on Monday night.
Rockets: Host the Pacers on Monday night.
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA