HARDEN’S SCORING STREAK ENDS
James Harden was two points shy of 30 points, ending his streak at 32 games
James Harden scored 28 points, ending his 32-game streak with at least 30, and the Houston Rockets beat the Atlanta Hawks 119-111 on Monday night.
Houston overcame a career-high eight 3-pointers from Hawks rookie Trae Young, who put up 36 points.
Harden returned after missing Saturday’s win over Golden State with a neck injury. His run of games with 30 or more points was the second-longest in NBA history behind a 65-game streak by Wilt Chamberlain.
Harden, who said he was still bothered by the neck problem Monday morning, missed all 10 3-pointers he attempted. He got to 28 points with 23.3 seconds left and had the ball on Houston’s last possession but did not attempt a shot from half court with the game in hand.
Harden last came up short of 30 points in a Dec. 11 win over Portland, when he had 29. During the streak, he scored 50 or more points four times, including a career-high 61 in a win at the Knicks on Jan. 23.
Chris Paul added 20 points, and Eric Gordon hit four 3-pointers for 16 points.
SUNS 124, HEAT 121
In Miami, Devin Booker scored 20 points to lead seven Phoenix players in double figures, and the Suns snapped a club-record 17game losing streak.
Former Heat guard Tyler Johnson scored 18 points for Phoenix. Jamal Crawford and Kelly Oubre Jr. each had 16 and were huge down the stretch for Phoenix, which scored 40 points in the fourth quarter. Deandre Ayton and Troy Daniels each had 14, and Josh Jackson scored 11 for the Suns.
Hassan Whiteside scored 29 points and Kelly Olynyk added 28 for the Heat, who have dropped six straight at home for the second time this season.
WARRIORS 121, HORNETS
110
In Charlotte, Klay Thompson scored 26 points, DeMarcus Cousins had 24 points and 11 rebounds, and Golden State dealt Charlotte its second straight loss.
The Warriors took a 1½-game lead over the Denver Nuggets in the race for the best record in the Western Conference. Golden State dropped its previous game, a home loss against Houston on Saturday night.
Kevin Durant had 20 points and seven rebounds for the Warriors, who have not lost back-to-back games since Dec. 27. It was an off night for Stephen Curry in his return to his hometown, finishing with 16 points on 4-of-14 shooting from 3-point range.
Cody Zeller made 13 of 14 shots from the field and finished with a career-high 28 points to lead the Hornets.
NETS 101, SPURS 85
In New York, D’Angelo Russell had 23 points, eight assists and seven rebounds, and Brooklyn forced San Antonio into perhaps its worst offensive performance of the season.
A night after their defense was absent in a loss to the Knicks, the Spurs couldn’t get their offense going. San Antonio was held to its lowest point total of the season, and the NBA’s leading 3-point shooting team at 40 percent was a season-worst 16.7 percent behind the arc.
That sent the Spurs to a third straight loss.
Joe Harris and Caris LeVert each added 15 points for the Nets, who made 19 3-pointers.
LaMarcus Aldridge had 26 points and 10 rebounds, and DeMar DeRozan added 23 points for the Spurs.
PISTONS 113, PACERS 109
In Detroit, Andre Drummond had 26 points and 16 rebounds, Blake Griffin had a triple-double and resurgent Detroit won for the seventh time in eight games.
Griffin had 20 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for Detroit, which is battling for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Indiana lost for only the second time in 10 games.
Pacers center Myles Turner returned after missing two games with a bruised left hip. He scored seven points. Domantas Sabonis scored 23 for Indiana, but he appeared to injure his left ankle with just over a minute remaining.
Bojan Bogdanovic scored 25 points. /
“Yeah I am. It was cool but I knew I wasn’t going to get to No. 1.” JAMES HARDEN on failing to break Wilt Chamberlain’s NBA record of 65 games of scoring at least 30 points