Harden’s 47 points lead Rockets over Jazz 102-97
By KRISTIE RIEKEN
HOUSTON (AP) _ James Harden scored 47 points to help the Houston Rockets hold off the Utah Jazz 102-97 on Monday night for their fourth straight win.
It was Houston’s first victory over the Jazz this season after dropping the first two meetings. The team’s current winning streak comes following a three-game skid.
Houston led by double digits early in the fourth quarter, but poor shooting left the Rockets tied with about two minutes left. A 3-pointer by Harden put Houston back on top and he added two free throws with about a minute remaining to make it 99-94.
Donovan Mitchell was fouled by Eric Gordon on a 3-pointer and made all three free throws to cut the lead to two with 35 seconds left.
Then, under heavy pressure from Ricky Rubio, Harden stepped back and hit a 3 to make it 102-97 with 13.3 seconds left, securing the victory.
Mitchell had 23 points for the Jazz, who have lost four of five.
Harden, who made 15 of 16 free throws, had six rebounds, five assists and five steals.
The Rockets had a 10-point lead after three periods and Harden put them up by 11 on a 3-pointer with about nine minutes left in the fourth. Mitchell had a nifty spinning layup before the Rockets missed five shots over their next two possessions and Danuel House turned it over the next time down.
Mitchell’s layup started a 9-0 run for the Jazz, capped by a 3 from Rubio, that got them to 90-88 with about 5 1/2 minutes left.
Harden scored Houston’s first points in more than 3 1/2 minutes after that, and things between him and Rudy Gobert got a little testy after that. Gobert fouled Harden as he dribbled down the court and Harden approached Gobert after the call. There was some minor pushing between the two before Harden walked away.
The Rockets led by 13 at halftime but Utah opened the third quarter with a 12-2 run to get to 52-49 with about 8 1/2 minutes left in the period. Mitchell made a 3-pointer in that span and Jae Crowder added two, including one he was fouled on that led to a four-point play.
Utah used a 7-0 spurt later in the quarter to take a 58-57 lead. But Harden took over after that, scoring all of Houston’s points in a 9-2 run that gave the Rockets a six-point lead with about 5 1/2 minutes left in the quarter. Harden converted three-point plays on consecutive possessions before hitting a 3 after a turnover by Crowder.
Houston was up by four about a minute later when Harden sailed over the 7-foot-1 Gobert for a one-handed dunk before a 3-pointer by P.J. Tucker made it 73-64. Utah coach Quin Snyder was handed a technical after that for yelling at the officials, and Harden made the free throw.
Houston led by eight late in the third quarter when Chris Paul scored the next five points, capped by a 3, to make it 83-70.
The Jazz got a free throw from Derrick Favors and a basket by Royce O’Neale after that to cut the lead to 10 entering the fourth.
TIP-INS
Jazz: Gobert had 18 points and 13 rebounds. … The Jazz had 23 turnovers. . Crowder finished with 14 points.
Rockets: Waived F/C Zhou Qi. … James Ennis missed his third straight game with a strained right hamstring and coach Mike D’Antoni said Ennis could be out as long as two weeks. … Brandon Knight had three points and a rebound in his third game back after missing last season while recovering from knee surgery. . Paul had 11 points and nine assists.
UP NEXT
Jazz: Host Golden State on Wednesday night.
Rockets: Host Washington on Wednesday night.
Gay scores 21 as the Spurs defeat 76ers 123-96
By RAUL DOMINGUEZ
SAN ANTONIO (AP) _ Rudy Gay had 21 points and LaMarcus Aldridge and DeMar DeRozan each added 20 as San Antonio Spurs defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 123-96 on Monday night.
San Antonio bounced back after squandering a 21-point lead in a loss to Chicago on Saturday night. The Spurs held an opponent under 100 points for the fifth straight game.
J.J. Redick and Ben Simmons each had 16 points to lead the 76ers. Joel Embiid was limited to 13 points on 6-for-17 shooting and finished with 11 rebounds.
Aldridge added 10 rebounds and DeRozan had seven assists for the Spurs, who closed a six-game home stand at 5-1.
Philadelphia raced to a nine-point lead in the opening quarter behind Redick’s outside shooting and Embiid’s inside dominance. The duo combined to shoot 8 for 13 and scored nine points apiece in the first quarter, including a 3-pointer by Redick and a dunk by Embiid.
The Spurs rallied by limiting the 76ers to eight field goals and 17 points in the second quarter, and by forcing five turnovers.
The surge continued in the second half as the Spurs opened the third quarter with a 19-4 run.
Gay had 11 points in the third as he continued his solid play in his comeback from a ruptured left Achilles tendon two years ago. The 6-foot-8 forward is averaging 14 points this season, but has averaged 18.8 points in his last seven games.
Gay has scored 20-plus points five times through 27 games. He accomplished that feat in 57 games last season.
Both teams pulled their starters midway through the fourth quarter
TIP-INS
76ers: Philadelphia coach Brett Brown and assistant Monty Williams worked for the Spurs prior to joining Philadelphia. Brown spent 11 seasons as an assistant under Gregg Popovich from 2002-2013. Williams played for the Spurs from 1996-98 and returned to serve as vice president of basketball operations from 2016-18. . Embiid led the team in scoring in four straight games prior to Monday, averaging 30.3 points over that stretch.
Spurs: The Spurs held the 76ers to 17 points in the second quarter, which was two points shy of their season low of 15 for the period at Phoenix on Oct. 31. . Davis Bertans had 16 points, the most in four games since a two-game absence following the birth of his first child. . San Antonio’s bench outscored Philadephia’s 56-35.
UP NEXT
76ers: Host New York on Wednesday night.
Spurs: At Orlando on Wednesday night.