WASHINGTON (AP) – James Harden set aside a rough first quarter to finish with 32 points and 15 assists, leading Houston past the struggling Wizards 114-106 on Monday night.
Washington’s John Wall broke the franchise record for career assists before getting ejected in the final minute.
Harden shot just 1 for 4 and had five turnovers in the opening period, which ended with Washington ahead 30-23. But he got more and more involved at the offensive end and scored eight consecutive Houston points in one stretch of the fourth quarter, including half of a 12-0 run that gave the Rockets a 106-95 lead with a little more than 3 1/2 minutes left.
This was his fourth consecutive game with at least 30 points and 10 assists for Harden, who entered the day leading the NBA in assists at 12.3 per game and fourth in scoring average at 31.5 points.
HORNETS 122, PACERS 100
Kemba Walker had 24 points and 10 assists to help Charlotte to their best start in franchise history.
The Hornets (5-1) scored on their first 12 possessions and led by as many as 21 points in the first quarter.
Charlotte tied a 23-year franchise record with 75 points in the first half on 56.5 percent shooting. The team’s starters were 17 of 25 from the field as the Hornets built a 20-point halftime lead.
Charlotte scored 35 points off 18 Indiana turnovers.
JAZZ 109, 76ERS 84
Derrick Favors had 16 points and 14 rebounds and Rodney Hood scored 18 points to lead Utah over winless Philadelphia.
Gordon Hayward scored 20 points in the second game of his return since he broke his right ring finger in training camp. He led the team in scoring last season, averaging nearly 20 points per game.
The Jazz won their second straight game on the road and cruised against a Sixers team again mired at the bottom of the NBA standings. The Sixers have lost 43 straight games in October and November. The Sixers last won a game in either of those two months on Nov. 22, 2013, against Milwaukee.
THUNDER 97, HEAT 85
Enes Kanter had 24 points and 10 rebounds to lead Oklahoma City.
Kanter made 10 of 12 shots in 21 minutes off the bench. Victor Oladipo scored 17 points, rookie Domantas Sabonis had a season-high 15 to go with 10 rebounds, and Russell Westbrook added 14 points and 11 assists for the Thunder.
Oklahoma City improved to 6-1, the best seven-game start for the franchise since moving to Oklahoma City in 2008.
Miami’s Hassan Whiteside, who entered averaging 20 points and 14.2 rebounds, finished with five points on 1-for-9 shooting and 12 rebounds.
BULLS 112, MAGIC 80
Jimmy Butler scored 20 points and Taj Gibson had 16 points and 11 rebounds for Chicago.
Dwyane Wade scored 16 points and Doug McDermott finished with 11 for Chicago, which had dropped three straight. Wade went 7 for 12 from the field in 25 minutes.
