Jeremy Lin contributed five points and seven assists to the Houston Rockets’ 101-89 home win against the Boston Celtics on Friday night.
James Harden scored 21 points and Greg Smith added 20 for the hosts.
In his 27 minutes on court, Lin made two of six shots from the floor, including one from behind the three-point arc. The Taiwanese-American also had three rebounds, two blocked shots and three turnovers.
Photo: AFP
The Rockets used a 9-2 run capped by a three-pointer by Harden to go up 52-47 in the third. They never trailed after that and cruised to the victory.
Paul Pierce led Boston with 18 points after scoring a season-high 34 in the Celtics’ double-overtime win at Dallas on Wednesday.
Harden, who had scored 30 or more in his last two games, got off to a slow start before heating up in the third quarter. Chandler Parsons added 15 points and Omer Asik had nine points and 10 rebounds for the Rockets, who won their second straight.
Rajon Rondo had 15 points, 13 assists and four steals for Boston, but also committed seven turnovers.
“That’s the way we should play ... We were strong with the ball and making the right reads and plays,” Harden said after the game, according to the team’s official Web site.
Asked what advice he has for Lin for the next two games, Harden said, “just go out there and play the same he’s been playing ... make plays for his teammates. We don’t get carried away with whom we’re playing.”
PACERS 95, 76ERS 85
In Indianapolis, Indiana, Paul George scored 28 points and Roy Hibbert played his best all-around game of the season, leading the Indiana Pacers past the short-handed Philadelphia 76ers.
George scored 14 points during a third-quarter flurry that changed the game. Hibbert had 19 points and a season-high 13 rebounds.
Philadelphia played without guard Jrue Holiday, who sat out with a sprained left foot. Evan Turner scored 20 points and reserve Spencer Hawes had 18 for the 76ers.
After giving up six points to Philadelphia in the final 3.8 seconds of the first half, the Pacers used a 16-4 third-quarter run to take a 60-52 lead and never trailed again.
George Hill had 15 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds for Indiana.
LAKERS 102, WIZARDS 96
In Washington, Kobe Bryant scored 30 points, reserve Jodie Meeks added 24 and the Lakers snapped a four-game losing streak.
Slowed by foul trouble, Dwight Howard finished with 12 points and 14 rebounds, and the Lakers improved to 10-14.
Cartier Martin scored a season-high 21 points for Washington.
MAGIC 99, WARRIORS 85
In Orlandon, Florida, J.J. Redick had 16 points and Nikola Vucevic added 12 points and 17 rebounds to help Orlando hold on for the win.
The Magic led by as many as 20 before their lead was trimmed to 10 points late, but they connected on nine three-pointers to help secure the win. Andrew Nicholson added 15 points and nine rebounds.
The victory snapped a four-game home losing streak for the Magic, who have won eight of their past nine against the Warriors.
Stephen Curry led Golden State with 25 points and David Lee had 24.
Golden State had won five in a row.
BUCKS 90, CAVALIERS 86
In Cleveland, Ohio, Monta Ellis scored a season-high 33 points, Brandon Jennings added 16 and the Bucks picked up their fourth consecutive victory.
It also was Milwaukee’s ninth straight victory over the Cavaliers.
Kyrie Irving scored 26 points for Cleveland, who committed a season-high 27 turnovers. The Cavaliers have lost seven of eight and 11 of 13.
Ellis, who scored 20 points in the second half, was 12 for 24 from the field.
Cavaliers center Anderson Varejao, the league’s leading rebounder, left the game in the first half after sustaining a contusion to his lower left leg. X-rays taken at halftime were negative and Varejao came back in the game early in the third quarter. He had eight points and 18 rebounds.
In other NBA games it was:
‧ Raptors 95, Mavericks 74
‧ Thunder 113, Kings 103
‧ Nets 107, Pistons 105, 2OTs
‧ Timberwolves 113, Hornets 102
‧ Suns 99, Jazz 84
‧ Nuggets 99, Grizzlies 94
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