Rockets s shoot past Lakers
Houston end five-gam e NBA losing streak
LOS ANGELES: The Houston Rockets take some good news – and perhaps some bad – into 2018 after snapping their fivegame NBA losing streak with a 148-142 double-overtime victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.
James Harden scored 40 points but departed in the final minute of regulation with a hamstring injury on Sunday.
Point guard Chris Paul scored 15 of his 28 points in the two overtime periods to carry Houston to a much-needed win on their home floor.
Paul played a part in four straight baskets in the first extra period, but Lakers forward Brandon Ingram made two free throws with eight-tenths of a second remaining to force the second.
In the second extra session, Paul made six free throws in the final minute and Houston took the lead for good on a second-chance basket by reserve forward P.J. Tucker – his only points in the contest.
Moments later Tucker swatted away a three-point attempt by the Lakers Kyle Kuzma.
Trevor Ariza scored 26 points for Houston, who trailed by as many as 17 points.
The sight of Harden limping off must have tempered the Rockets’ pleasure in snapping their skid.
Houston coach Mike D’Antoni said it was too early to speculate about the severity of Harden’s injury.
Yesterday, Harden said he had already received treatment and is hopeful that his hamstring injury isn’t serious.
“Hopefully it is not that serious, just a pull on the hammy,” Harden told reporters after the game.
“Just got some treatment right now and hopefully, day to day, it gets better.
“I really couldn’t run so let me go back here and see what is going on.
‘We’ll see. I think we don’t play again until (tomorrow against Orlando) ... So I got a couple of days.”
In Los Angeles, Lou Williams came off the bench to score 40 points and propel the Clippers to a 106- 98 victory over the Charlotte Hornets.
“He was just a nightmare tonight,” Charlotte forward Frank Kaminsky said of Williams.
“He started hitting (three-pointers) early, so we start getting up on his screen. He starts driving to the rim, and then he’s getting fouled.”
The Boston Celtics held off the determined Brooklyn Nets 108105 to notch their 30th win of the season.
Trailing by 14 points with 5:59 remaining, the Nets trimmed the deficit to three and had the ball after a timeout with 14.5 seconds left.
In Oklahoma City, Dallas rookie Dennis Smith Jr. produced 11 points in the final 1:39 to lift the Mavericks to a 116-113 victory over the Thunder.
“He was great tonight,” said Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle after Smith contributed 19 points, four rebounds and six assists.
”They were trapping him in the pick-and-rolls.
“He hasn’t seen that. He went through some situations that were very difficult, but he kept his energy up, he kept his head up, he kept attacking.”