Houston bounced back in style, Cleveland ran away from Milwaukee, and New Orleans and Portland also collected comfortable wins as the NBA's Saturday slate delivered four results that had not yet been covered on US News Pulse. Jabari Smith led the way for the Rockets with 30 points, while Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen powered the Cavaliers' rout of the Bucks.
The Houston Rockets, who suffered their first loss of the season on Friday at Dallas, got 30 points from Jabari Smith in a 119-98 bounce-back home victory over injury-hit Oklahoma City on Saturday, October 31, 2026. "Losing rubbed us the wrong way so we didn't want to lose two in a row," Smith said. "We wanted to come out here ready to play and we got it done."
Houston, now 6-1, also had 24 points from Marcus Smart and 14 from Kevin Durant, plus 16 points, nine rebounds and nine assists from Alperen Sengun. The 21-point margin restored the Rockets' early-season momentum after the Dallas defeat, and underlined how much of their offence runs through Smith when he is aggressive from the start.
Cleveland's Evan Mobley scored 27 points and Jarrett Allen added 25 points and 11 rebounds to power Cleveland's 136-111 victory at Milwaukee. Mobley shot 11 of 16 from the field, including three three-pointers, and added five rebounds and three assists in a complete two-way performance that left the Bucks chasing the game for most of the night.
Reserve Saddiq Bey scored 25 points and Jeremiah Fears added 20 to give host New Orleans a 121-99 victory over Atlanta. Bey added six rebounds and an assist, while CJ McCollum scored 14 points for the Hawks. New Orleans now visits Memphis on November 2, while Atlanta visits Indiana the same day.
Deni Avdija scored 24 points and Damian Lillard added 22 to spark Portland, now 4-1, to a 112-90 victory at Utah, now 1-5. The Blazers' balanced scoring and defensive control turned the game into a comfortable road win, and left Utah searching for answers after another heavy home defeat.
Saturday's four games sat alongside three other results already reported on US News Pulse: Tyrese Maxey's 38 points in Philadelphia's 109-104 comeback win at Charlotte, Cameroon Boozer's 27 points in Memphis's 136-105 win over Sacramento, and Victor Wembanyama's 43 points in San Antonio's 121-111 win over Minnesota. Together, the seven games closed a hectic Halloween weekend in the NBA's second week, with several teams playing their second game in two nights.
Houston's response was the most instructive of the night. A first defeat can either linger or sharpen a good team, and the Rockets chose the second option, with Smith setting the tone and Sengun filling the box score. Cleveland, meanwhile, showed the value of a frontcourt that can score inside and out: Mobley and Allen combined for 52 points and 16 rebounds against Milwaukee.
For Houston, the win keeps the Rockets among the early pace-setters in the West at 6-1, and it answers the obvious question after Dallas: was Friday a blip or a warning? One game is not proof, but a 21-point win over an injury-hit Thunder side, built on Smith's scoring and Sengun's all-round game, suggests the former.
For Cleveland, the 25-point margin matters because it came on the road against a Milwaukee side that will expect to contend in the East. Mobley's efficiency, 11 of 16 shooting, is the kind of night that lifts a team's ceiling, and Allen's double-double gave the Cavaliers a second reliable scoring option inside.
For New Orleans and Portland, the wins were quieter but useful. Bey's 25 off the bench gave the Pelicans a scoring punch that Atlanta could not match, while Portland's road win at Utah, with Avdija and Lillard combining for 46 points, kept the Blazers' strong start going at 4-1.
"Losing rubbed us the wrong way so we didn't want to lose two in a row," Jabari Smith said after Houston's win. "We wanted to come out here ready to play and we got it done."
Smith's 30 points led Houston, with Marcus Smart adding 24, Kevin Durant 14, and Alperen Sengun contributing 16 points, nine rebounds and nine assists.
Early-season results do not decide championships, but they do shape confidence, rotations and the standings that teams carry into November. Houston's bounce-back keeps the Rockets in the West's early leading group, Cleveland's rout is a statement road win, and Portland's 4-1 start is the kind of opening that turns a promising team into a team opponents take seriously. For Utah, at 1-5, and for Atlanta after a 22-point defeat, the weekend was a reminder of how quickly a slow start can become a hole.
The NBA continues on Sunday, November 1, with Orlando hosting Boston at 3:30 p.m. ET, Indiana hosting Brooklyn at 5:00 p.m. ET, and Golden State hosting the LA Clippers and the LA Lakers hosting Toronto later in the evening. New Orleans visits Memphis on November 2, Atlanta visits Indiana the same day, Milwaukee visits Minnesota on November 2, and Cleveland hosts Oklahoma City on November 2.
Related coverage on US News Pulse: Maxey scores 38 as the 76ers rally past the Hornets, Grizzlies beat the Kings to match a franchise-best 6-0 start, and Wembanyama drops 43 as the Spurs beat the Timberwolves.
What were the NBA scores on Saturday, October 31? Houston 119, Oklahoma City 98; Cleveland 136, Milwaukee 111; New Orleans 121, Atlanta 99; Portland 112, Utah 90.
Who starred for Houston? Jabari Smith scored 30 points, Marcus Smart added 24, Kevin Durant scored 14, and Alperen Sengun had 16 points, nine rebounds and nine assists.
Who led Cleveland? Evan Mobley scored 27 points on 11-of-16 shooting, and Jarrett Allen added 25 points and 11 rebounds.
What is Houston's record now? The Rockets improved to 6-1 after bouncing back from their first loss of the season at Dallas on Friday.
What comes next in the NBA? Sunday games include Orlando against Boston and Indiana against Brooklyn, while New Orleans visits Memphis and Cleveland hosts Oklahoma City on November 2.
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