Harden’s 42 points go for naught in loss by Rockets
Jeff Teague scored 27 points and Karl-anthony Towns 25 for the Minnesota Timberwolves, who overcame James Harden’s 42 points to beat the Houston Rockets 121-111 on Wednesday.
Harden had his 31st consecutive game with 30 or more points, tying Wilt Chamberlain for the second-longest streak in league history.
The NBA’S top scorer passed the 30-point mark on his 15th four-point play of the season, getting Josh Okogie in the air with one of his step-back 3s to put Houston up 74-67 midway through the third.
Okogie, who scored 16 points, sparked the Timberwolves to retake the lead with an 18-2 run. The rookie had a breakaway dunk and a 3-pointer to put Minnesota up 77-74, but he brought some of the biggest cheers of the night with an emphatic block on Harden’s 3-point attempt with 3:40 to play.
After being stripped by Okogie a few plays earlier, Harden stepped back again behind the arc to attempt the 3. This time, the ball didn’t even leave his hand before Okogie leaped forward and stuffed it, bringing the crowd to its feet.
Derrick Rose completed a three-point play with 1:43 left in the third to give Minnesota an 85-76 lead.
Harden’s 12-footer made it 89-all in the fourth before the Timberwolves hit four 3-pointers to take a six-point lead. Harden hit three-straight 3-pointers to pull Houston within 115-111 with 1:52 to play.
But Okogie dunked and forced Harden into an airball, and Towns hit a layup to give Minnesota just enough breathing room.
At Portland, Ore., Damian Lillard scored 29 points for Portland, which halted Golden State’s five-game win streak in a chippy game that included the late ejection of Warriors coach Steve Kerr. Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry scored 32 points apiece for Golden State.
At Cleveland, D’angelo Russell scored 14 of his 36 points in the third overtime for Brooklyn, which took the game to a third extra period on Demarre Carroll’s desperation 3-pointer at the secondovertime buzzer. Jordan Clarkson scored a career-high 42 points for Cleveland.
At Toronto, Pascal Siakam scored a career-high 44 points for Toronto, which was without All-star Kawhi Leonard (sore left knee) for the second time in four games but won its sixth in a row. Bradley Beal scored 28 points for Washington, which led by 12 in the first half.
At Denver, Nikola Jokic had a decisive tip-in in the final second and totaled 20 points, 18 rebounds and 11 assists for Denver, which saw Isaiah Thomas make his team debut with two third-quarter 3-pointers and eight total points.
Buddy Hield scored 25 points to pace Sacramento.
At
New York, Joel Embiid had 26 points, 14 rebounds and one flying leap over an award-winning actress — Regina King — while pursuing a loose ball for Philadelphia, which dealt New York its 18th straight loss. Findlay Prep product Allonzo Trier scored 19 points for the Knicks.
At Indianapolis, Giannis Antetokounmpo had 33 points, 19 rebounds and 11 assists for Milwaukee, which overcame a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit in its seventh straight road win — its longest such streak since 1984-85. Indiana had won six in a row.
At Boston, Al Horford had 17 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists and Gordon Hayward 18 points and eight assists in his first start since Dec. 21 for Boston, which was without All-star Kyrie Irving (right knee strain). Blake Griffin scored 32 points for Detroit.
At Chicago, Otto Porter Jr. scored a careerhigh 37 points on 16-for-20 shooting for Chicago, which halted a franchise-record 11-game home slide with its fourth win in 22 games. Findlay Prep product Avery Bradley scored 15 points for Memphis.
At Dallas, Dwyane Wade scored 22 points in what figures to be his final game on the court where he won his first championship for Miami, which held a 32-16 scoring edge in the third quarter and led by as many as 21 points in the fourth.
At Los Angeles, Lou Williams scored 30 points for Los Angeles, which handed Phoenix its franchise record-tying 15th loss in a row. Findlay Prep product Kelly Oubre Jr. led the Suns with a career-high 28 points.