Harden, Rockets rout Cavs
James Harden had 43 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists in three quarters to lead the Rockets to a 141-113 rout of the Cleveland Cavaliers last night in Houston.
After the Cavaliers won the first meeting with Houston this season, the Rockets were determined to take care of business. They did that, racing to a 28-point lead after scoring a season-high 77 in the first half behind 24 points from Harden. The Rockets led 113-81 after three quarters.
Harden had his 15th straight game with at least 30 points, his franchise-record 13th game with 40 points this season and the seventh in the past nine games.
Harden needed less than 2½ quarters to reach 30 points, hitting a 3 with 7:41 left in the third to give him 32 points and push Houston’s lead 91-58. He joins Kobe Bryant (16 games in 2003) as the only players to score 30 points in at least 15 games in a row since the 1972-73 season.
About three minutes later, he pushed his total to 40 after he was left wide open to drive into the lane for an easy layup to make it 99-68. Harden grabbed his 10th rebound with about 90 seconds left in the third quarter to give him his sixth triple-double this season.
Wizards 113, Bucks 106 — Bradley Beal scored 32 points, and Tomas Satoransky had 18 points, a career-high 12 rebounds and 10 assists for his first career triple-double to help host Washington beat Milwaukee.
With Milwaukee star Giannis Antetokounmpo sidelined by hip and quad injuries, Washington came out aggressively and never trailed after the opening two minutes. The Wizards finished with 18 3-pointers, matching the franchise record.
Khris Middleton scored 25 points for the Bucks. Raptors 122, Nets 105 — Kawhi Leonard had 20 points and 11 rebounds, Pascal Siakam scored 16 points and Toronto beat Brooklyn for its seventh straight home win.
Serge Ibaka added 14 points, OG Anunoby and Norman Powell each had 13, Delon Wright had 12 to help Toronto improve to 18-4 at home. They last lost at home Dec. 9 to Milwaukee. The Raptors have won four straight overall.
Hawks 123, 76ers 121 — John Collins (25 points) hit a fadeaway jumper with 25 seconds left and Atlanta hung on when host Philadelphia flopped on its final plays.
Jimmy Butler was fouled on a drive and had a chance to tie it with 2.4 seconds left. Butler, an 86 percent freethrow shooter, clanged both shots to waste the chance at the tie. Wilson Chandler slipped under the basket on the second miss and missed a gimmie tip-in at the horn. Kevin Huerter led the Hawks with 29 points. Mavericks 119, Timberwolves 115 — Luka Doncic scored 29 points and hit the go-ahead 3-pointer as Dallas spoiled Minnesota coach Ryan Saunders’ home debut.
Doncic also had 12 assists and eight rebounds. He scored seven of Dallas’ final nine points.
Karl-Anthony Towns had 30 points and 11 rebounds for the Timberwolves.
Pacers 121, Knicks 106 — Domantas Sabonis had 22 points and 15 rebounds to cap his sizzling season at Madison Square Garden, and Indiana beat New York.
Sabonis shot 9-for-14 from the field to finish 21-of-26 this season in two games in New York. He made all 12 shots and tied his career high with 30 points on Oct. 31.