Harden, Gordon catch fire as Rockets down Suns
Houston Rockets guard Eric Gordon celebrates his basket against the Phoenix Suns with Rockets guard James Harden. AP
PHOENIX — James Harden had 27 points and 14 assists, propelling the Houston Rockets to a 125-111 win over the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday (Thursday Manila time) for their 11th victory in 12 games.
Eric Gordon added 24 points off the Rockets’ bench, shooting 7 of 13 on 3-pointers. Patrick Beverley finished with 18 points, nine assists and nine rebounds.
Houston made 18-of-38 attempts from 3-point range.
Harden’s biggest shot came with 4:19 left, a 3-pointer for a 120-100 Rockets lead. He bent down and moved his arms in a swimming motion in celebration as he ran back to the bench.
Devin Booker’s 28 points led the Suns, who have lost four in a row. T.J. Warren added 19 and Brandon Knight 17.
Gordon hit back-to-back 3s midway through the fourth quarter, the second one at the 6:39 mark for a 110-95 lead.
The Rockets led by as many as 13 in the third, only to have the Suns cut it to 86-84 on a tip-in by P.J. Tucker with 1:19 left. Harden drew a questionable foul call against Tucker on a 3-point try with 4.3 seconds left and made all three free throws to give Houston a 91-84 lead entering the fourth.
The Rockets led 30-26 after the first quarter, when the Suns struggled to get back in transition. Houston scored 12 fast-break points in the period.
Harden took only two shots in the quarter but excelled as a passer, handing out seven assists.
The Suns managed one field in the first 4-plus minutes of the second and fell behind by 11. Gordon missed his first three 3-point tries of the game but knocked down his next three to keep the Rockets in front.
Phoenix rallied, however, tying it at 47 on Tucker’s corner 3 with 3:33 to play in the first half and going ahead by two seconds later with a pair of free throws by Booker.
Gordon hit four 3s in the second quarter, Harden drove for a layup with 0.3 seconds left and Houston took a 61-55 lead into halftime.
