Harden boosts Rockets to eighth win in row

HOUSTON’S James Harden scored 40 points in his 10th triple-double of the season on Sunday as the Rockets rallied to beat the Raptors 129-122 in Toronto and notch an eighth straight NBA win.

Harden added 11 assists and 10 rebounds in the triumph, and has had at least a doubledouble in 17 straight games as he continues to make his claim alongside that of Oklahoma City Thunder star Russell Westbrook for Most Valuable Player honours.

Harden (pictured, AFP) said the key to the Rockets’ success is unselfishness. “Helping each other out, having each other’s backs,” he said. “Offensively, we’re knocking down shots, we’re playing off the catch, we’re doing the small things to help each other out.”

The Raptors, t r y i ng t o bounce back from a loss to the Chicago Bulls on Saturday, led by as many as 13 points and took a four-point lead into the fourth quarter.

But the Rockets launched the fourth period with 15 straight points to seize a lead they never surrendered.

Montrezl Harrell scored 28 points and Eric Gordon added 19, both off the bench, as Houston became the third team in the West, after Golden State and San Antonio, to notch a 30th victory this season.

Guard Mike Conley nley finished with 19 points andd nine assists as the Memphis Grizzlies managed to hold off a fourth quarter rally from m the Utah Jazz for an 88-79 NBA win on Sunday. day.

The e r ror- proneone Jazz dropped t o 23-16 on the seaason. They are first st place in the Northheast Division andnd the Grizzl i es are third in the Southeast, east, b u t t h e G r i z z l i e s (24-16) are in fifth h overall in the Western Conference standings, one spot in front of Utah.

In Sacramento, , t thehe Gold- en State Warri Warriors, who lost to t he Gr i z z l ies a day ea rl ier, overca me a lackl lu st re f i r st half on Sunday to avoid backto-back losseslosse with a 117-106 w i n over t heh Sacra mento Kings. The Warriors have playe played 124 straight con contest s w it hout los losi ng consec ut iv ively, t he longes est such st rea k in NBA histor y. T The Warr i o r s imp improved to 32-6 on the season as t heyhe y rebounded fro from a 128-119 los loss to Memphis Sat Saturday in a game which saw them 24-point lead.

Elsewhere, Kyrie Irving, LeBron James and Kevin Love combined for 80 points as the Cleveland Cavaliers blew a 20-point third-quarter lead but held on to defeat the host Phoenix Suns 120-116.

The Cavaliers improved to 28-8 on the season and have won 15 of their last 18 games, their best 36-game start since going 30-6 to start the 2008-09 season.

Eric Bledsoe had 31 points and Devin Booker added 28 for the Suns, who missed a chance for their first three-game winning streak since November 2015. blow a