Rockets’ Harden reaches milestone in home win

James Harden scored 32 points in three quarters to surpass 20,000 and the Houston Rockets rolled to an easy 139-109 victory over the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday.

Houston led by double figures for most of the game and used a huge run in the third quarter to put the game out of reach and bounce back after a lopsided loss to Oklahoma City on Thursday night.

Harden, who had 12 rebounds and eight assists, is the 45th player in NBA history to reach 20,000 points. He entered the game 10 points away and reached the milestone on a step-back 3-pointer midway through the second quarter.

“It’s a great accomplishment obviously,” Harden said. “I have a bigger picture and bigger goals but it’s pretty cool.”

Already without Clint Capela because of a bruised heel, the Rockets lost fellow starter P.J. Tucker early in the first quarter when he fell hard on his right shoulder. But Houston was just fine without them thanks to another big game from Harden and a 30-point performance by Russell Westbrook. LAKERS 125, THUNDER 110 >> Kyle Kuzma scored a season-high 36 points and visiting Los Angeles rolled past Oklahoma City without stars Lebron James and Anthony Davis.

Lakers coach Frank Vogel said James had a chest cold. Davis missed his second straight game with a gluteus maximus contusion.

It didn’t matter. Kuzma, in just his third start of the season, made 15 of 24 shots. Rajon Rondo added 21 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists for the Lakers, who won their eighth in a row.

Shai Gilgeous-alexander and Danilo Gallinari each scored 24 points for the Thunder, who had won 11 of their previous 13 games. MAVERICKS 109, 76ERS 91 >> Luka Doncic had 19 points and 12 assists, and Dwight Powell scored 10 of his 19 points in a decisive third quarter in host Dallas’ win.

Powell had four of his 12 rebounds in the third quarter, when the Mavericks outscored the 76ers 32-16 to turn a nine-point deficit into a 7366 lead that grew to a 21-point margin in the fourth.

Tobias Harris had 20 points and 10 rebounds for the 76ers.