Harden’s 50-point triple-double leads Rockets over Lakers

HOUSTON — The Houston Rockets were clinging to a lead over the Los Angeles Lakers in the fourth quarter on Thursday night when James Harden told coach Mike D’Antoni he needed to come out for a bit to rest — something the reigning MVP never does.

D’Antoni was perfectly happy to fulfill Harden’s request, and the move could not have worked better for the Rockets.

Harden returned with about five minutes left to take over the game, scoring 11 points during a big run to cap a 50-point, 10rebound and 11-assist night in a 126-111 victory.

“You play 45, 46 minutes, it’s difficult on anybody in this league,” Harden said. “The guys are so talented and great, so that little period that I had to rest, came back in re-energized and ready to make good plays.”

Chris Paul was surprised when Harden asked for the break.

“It’s very rare that James or any of us would take ourselves out,” Paul said. “But ... I think that gave him that quick little breather that he needed to come in and finish it.”

Harden grabbed his 10th rebound with less than 90 seconds left to give him his second triple-double this season and the 37th of his career.

LeBron James finished with 29 points for the Lakers, who had won their previous two games.

James was unhappy that the Lakers sent Harden to the line 19 times, where he only missed once.

“You can’t put him on the line ... he’s already talented,” James said. “He can put the ball in the hole multiple ways. He can drive, step-back 3s and you (can’t) give him easy points.”

Houston’s lead was three after Kyle Kuzma’s soaring dunk, but Harden was fouled on a 3-pointer and made all three free throws to make it 112-106.

Harden then made 3-pointers on consecutive possessions to push the lead to 12 and cause Lakers coach Luke Walton to call a timeout. James was in Harden’s face on the second one and Harden fell to the court as the ball rolled around the rim for a couple of seconds before dropping in.

“He’s a superstar and he makes tough shots,” Walton said. “But that whole thing started with us giving him three free throws.”

James added a dunk before Clint Capela and Harden made consecutive baskets to compete the 13-2 run and make it 122-108.

It was the first meeting between these teams since Paul and Rajon Rondo got into a fight on Oct. 20 that led to suspensions for both players and Brandon Ingram. There wasn’t an altercation this time around in a game where Rondo sat out as he recovers from surgery to repair a broken right hand. But there was a spate of technical fouls late in the third quarter that led to the ejection of Nene.

Kuzma made his free throws but Kentavious Caldwell-Pope missed the technical shot.