Rockets extend streak to 15 wins
Cavs lose fourth time in last six
James Harden scored 26 points and Eric Gordon scored 29 off the bench as the Houston Rockets stretched their winning streak to a season-high 15 games with a 123-120 win over the Boston Celtics on Saturday.
Houston’s winning streak ties the second-longest in franchise history which was achieved two times during the Hakeem Olajuwon era in the 1990s.
“We’ve got 20 games left. We’ve got to take it one at a time and try to have fun with it,” said Harden.
The Rockets’ all-time best run of success was a 22-game winning streak during the 2007-08 NBA season.
It’s their second long winning streak of this season after Houston won 14 in a row beginning in November and stretching into December.
Marcus Morris had 21 points off the bench for the visiting Celtics, who had won four consecutive games since the All-Star break.
Houston’s Gordon made one of two free throws to make it 123-120 with 2.3 seconds remaining.
Boston tried to answer but Marcus Smart’s three-point heave bounced off the rim at the buzzer to give Houston the victory.
“He almost made a lucky shot,” Harden said of Smart’s desperate attempt.
Elsewhere, Gary Harris scored 32 points, Will Barton added 23 and the Denver Nuggets did most of their damage behind the three-point line in a 126-117 win over LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. James recorded a 25-point, 10-rebound, 15-assist triple-double for the Cavaliers, who have lost four of their past six games.
CJ McCollum led the way as the Portland Trail Blazers earned their sixth straight victory, downing the Oklahoma City Thunder 108-100.
McCollum finished with 28 points, eight rebounds and six assists as the Trail Blazers won for the 13th time in 14 games at home.
Russell Westbrook totaled 30 points, 11 rebounds and six assists and Paul George added 21 points for Oklahoma City, who lost for the eighth straight time at Moda Center.