James Harden recorded his third straight 40 point game on Saturday to power the Houston Rockets to a 108-104 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans.
Harden finished with 41 points and six assists to become the first player since Oscar Robertson to post at least 35 points and five assists in seven straight games. Robertson did it twice, in 1965 and 1967.
“That’s what I play for,” Harden said when asked about being compared with Robertson. “That’s what you play the game of basketball for, to be mentioned in the name with the greats.”
Harden scored 17 points in the first quarter and made all 14 of his free throws during the game. He drained seven of 16 shots from beyond the arc.
Harden scored 26 points in the first half as Houston took a 53-50 lead into the locker room.
Pelicans star Anthony Davis struggled after scoring a season-high 48 points in a victory over the Dallas Mavericks, taking only five shots in the first half. Julius Randle led the Pelicans with 23 points and 11 rebounds. Davis finished with 22.
Houston led 77-76 after three and scored the first seven points of the fourth period. The Rockets extended their lead to 101-86 with just under six minutes left, but the Pelicans went on a 13-2 run to cut the deficit to 103-99.
P.J. Tucker made two free throws with 12 seconds remaining in the fourth period to seal the win.
Harden will get a chance to score 40 in four straight when the Rockets host Memphis today.
NUGGETS 122, SUNS 118
Jamal Murray scored 46 points and made a career-high nine three-pointers to carry the Denver Nuggets over hosts the Phoenix Suns.
Murray was 16 for 24 from the field with the second-most points he has scored in a game this season. He scored 31 a night earlier in a win over the San Antonio Spurs.
Nikola Jokic added 23 points, nine assists and eight rebounds for Denver, while Malik Beasley came off the bench to hit a career-high five three-pointers for his 15 points.
Rookie Deandre Ayton scored a season-high 33 points and added 14 rebounds for the Suns. Ayton made 12-of-13 shots in the second quarter for 24 points, the highest-scoring quarter by a Suns rookie and sixth-highest overall in franchise history.
WIZARDS 130, HORNETS 126
Trevor Ariza scored 24 points and was one of seven Washington players in double figures as the Wizards beat Charlotte amid news five-time All-Star guard John Wall will have season-ending surgery.
Thomas Bryant added 21 points and 10 rebounds and Ariza had nine assists and seven rebounds for Washington, who won for the third time in 12 games.
The Wizards announced Saturday that Wall would undergo surgery to address bone spurs in his left heel and miss at least six months.
Kemba Walker scored 24 of his 47 points in the fourth quarter and nearly lifted Charlotte to a remarkable comeback when his three-pointer cut the lead to a point with 1.9 seconds to play.
In Saturday’s other games, it was:
‧ Warriors 115, T’blazers 105
‧ Spurs 122, Clippers 111
‧ Celtics 112, Grizzlies 103
‧ Bucks 129, Nets 115
‧ Jazz 129, Knicks 97
‧ Hawks 111, Cavaliers 108
Additional reporting by AP
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