James Harden on Friday scored 35 points as the Houston Rockets used a balanced attack to beat the Toronto Raptors 121-119.
Red-hot Harden had been averaging more than 50 points over his past five games and has now scored 30-plus points in 22 straight contests.
“I am just trying to do whatever it takes to win,” Harden said. “If I got to score a lot of points, or whatever team my needs me to do, I am going to do.”
Photo: Troy Taormina, USA Today
The Rockets led by 11 points with 74 seconds to go, but the Raptors cut that margin to just two, 121-119, with 27 seconds left.
On the final play of the game, the Raptors’ Kawhi Leonard decided to go for the three pointer and a win instead of a two-point basket that would have tied it. He shot an air ball with Harden guarding him.
Harden’s stretch of 30-point games is the fourth-longest in NBA history, behind three streaks by Wilt Chamberlain of 65, 31 and 25 games. Harden was 15-15 on free throws, and just 2-13 from beyond the arc.
Guard Gerald Green said it is odd to see a team even partially shut down Harden.
“I wish I could have a quiet 35 points. It is kind of weird to not see him score 45 and 50, because I am so use to seeing him score 50,” Green said.
Harden credited the Raptors’ defense with cooling off his torrid scoring binge.
“Some teams allow me to score points, some teams are going to take those points away from me and I have got to facilitate. We had a great team effort,” he said of the Rockets’ starters who all scored 10 points or more.
Elsewhere, Giannis Antetokounmpo had 34 points and 14 rebounds as the league-leading Milwaukee Bucks came from behind to beat Charlotte 108-99.
The Bucks seized control of the contest by outscoring the Hornets 32-12 in the fourth quarter.
Malcolm Brogdon added 19 points, Eric Bledsoe had 18 and Khris Middleton had 15 to help the Bucks improve to 35-12 with their sixth straight victory.
Milwaukee battled back with an 11-0 run in the fourth to get back in the game. They grabbed the lead on Brogdon’s driving basket with 5 minute, 34 seconds left.
Also, Lou Williams recorded his first career triple double with 31 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds as the Los Angeles Clippers beat the Chicago Bulls 106-101.
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