NBA scoring leader James Harden netted 40 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and passed off nine assists on Tuesday to spark the Houston Rockets to a win over the Phoenix Suns, 127-118.
Harden scored half his points in the fourth quarter to give the Rockets their third triumph in as many meetings this season with Phoenix, including last month when Harden’s basket at the buzzer downed the Suns.
The Rockets improved to 36-16, third-best in the Western Conference behind NBA pace-setter Golden State and Memphis, who kept a three-game lead over Houston in the Southwest division.
Photo: AFP
The Suns fell to 29-25 with their fifth loss in six games.
Josh Smith came off the bench to score 20 points for Houston, while Patrick Beverley had 15 points for the Rockets.
Eric Bledsoe led Phoenix with 32 points.
Goran Dragic added 20 points, while P.J. Tucker scored 17 for the Suns.
Phoenix stayed in the eighth and final West playoff spot, but only one game ahead of New Orleans and Oklahoma City.
GRIZZLIES 95, NETS 86
Zach Randolph scored 19 points, while Marc Gasol added 14 and 11 rebounds for the Grizzlies.
Six Grizzlies finished in double figures as Memphis won their 14th of the past 16. Courtney Lee scored 15 points, Beno Udrih added 13 and Tony Allen finished with 12.
The Nets lost for the seventh time in 10 games.
Mason Plumlee and Alan Anderson each scored 15 points for the Nets, while Plumlee also grabbed 14 rebounds.
Memphis held a double-digit lead through most of the game until the Nets tightened it up in the fourth quarter.
BULLS 104, KINGS 86
Pau Gasol continued his strong play with 26 points and 16 rebounds, while Tony Snell scored a career-high 24 and Derrick Rose added 23 for the Chicago Bulls.
It was Gasol’s NBA-best 34th double-double of the season. He now has 13 straight.
Snell was nine for 11 from the field, including four from six from beyond the three-point line. His previous high was 20 points.
The trio combined to go 30 for 43 (69.8 percent) from the field as Chicago (33-20) won their third straight.
The Kings (18-33) have dropped 12 of 14. Rudy Gay led Sacramento with 24 points, while DeMarcus Cousins added 15 points and eight rebounds.
PISTONS 106, HORNETS 78
Greg Monroe had 23 points and 12 rebounds, while D.J. Augustin added 18 points as the Detroit Pistons handed the Charlotte Hornets their third straight loss.
Monroe, who had 14 double-doubles last month to tie a franchise record, was dominant inside and on the drive as the Pistons built a 23-point lead at the end of the third quarter. They coasted to an easy win.
Jodie Meeks and Anthony Tolliver each scored 16 points for the Pacers, who are 16-9 over their past 25 games.
NUGGETS 106, LAKERS 96
Ty Lawson had season highs of 32 points and 16 assists as Denver snapped a six-game losing skid.
Darrell Arthur added 15 points, while Wilson Chandler and J.J. Hickson scored 13 points each for the Nuggets, whose four-game road losing streak ended.
Carlos Boozer scored 15 of his 21 points in the second half and grabbed 10 rebounds, while Wayne Ellington added 18 points for the Lakers, who fell to 0-5 this month.
Jeremy Lin and Wesley Johnson added 12 points each for the Lakers.
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