Houston Rockets vs Brooklyn Nets Final Score & Over/Under Result — Jan 1, 2026

Houston's second meeting with Brooklyn this season looked nothing like their first—a 28-point blowout on the road back in October that exploded to 246 combined points. This time, the Rockets controlled a tighter, lower-scoring affair, winning 120–96 for a combined total of 216, which landed 1.5 points under the 217.5 market line. DAGGER leaned under, and it cashed.

The first half set a measured tone, with 95 combined points through two quarters as defenses established early footing. Brooklyn managed just 42 points in the opening half while Houston built a lead methodically behind Amen Thompson (23 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists) and Kevin Durant's orchestration (22 points, 11 assists, 5 rebounds). The third quarter erupted into the game's only sustained scoring burst—62 combined points changed the trajectory entirely, with Houston's Alperen Sengun contributing 20 points and 6 rebounds to widen the gap. Brooklyn's Cam Thomas kept the Nets alive with 21 points, but lacked sufficient support; Ziaire Williams added 14 and Nic Claxton pulled down 8 boards with 11 points, yet the offensive firepower couldn't match Houston's versatility. A 59-point fourth quarter closed out the sequence without either team gaining serious momentum, and the final margin of 24 points reflected a game that never recovered its October chaos. Houston's ability to score consistently—118.6 per game in recent form—proved decisive against a Brooklyn team averaging 111.5 in its last ten.