HOUSTON (AP) – The Houston Rockets were clinging to a lead over the Los Angeles Lakers in the fourth quarter on Thursday night when James Harden told coach Mike D’Antoni he needed to come out for a bit to rest – something the reigning MVP never does.
D’Antoni was perfectly happy to fulfill Harden’s request, and the move could not have worked better for the Rockets.
Harden returned with about five minutes left to take over the game, scoring 11 points during a big run to cap a 50-point, 10-rebound and 11-assist night in a 126-111 victory.
“You play 45, 46 minutes, it’s difficult on anybody in this league,” Harden said. “The guys are so talented and great, so that little period that I had to rest, came back in re-energized and ready to make good plays.”
Chris Paul was surprised when Harden asked for the break.
“It’s very rare that James or any of us would take ourselves out,” Paul said. “But … I think that gave him that quick little breather that he needed to come in and finish it.”
Harden grabbed his 10th rebound with less than 90 seconds left to give him his second triple-double this season and the 37th of his career.
LeBron James finished with 29 points for the Lakers, who had won their previous two games.
James was unhappy that the Lakers sent Harden to the line 19 times, where he only missed once.
“You can’t put him on the line … he’s already talented,” James said. “He can put the ball in the hole multiple ways. He can drive, step-back 3s and you (can’t) give him easy points.”
Houston’s lead was three after Kyle Kuzma’s soaring dunk, but Harden was fouled on a 3-pointer and made all three free throws to make it 112-106.
Harden then made 3-pointers on consecutive possessions to push the lead to 12 and cause Lakers coach Luke Walton to call a timeout. James was in Harden’s face on the second one and Harden fell to the court as the ball rolled around the rim for a couple of seconds before dropping in.
SPURS 125, CLIPPERS 87
In San Antonio, the San Antonio Spurs appropriately returned to their defensive principles on an evening when San Antonio was celebrating “Throwback Night.”
LaMarcus Aldridge scored 27 points and the Spurs won their fourth straight, topping the Los Angeles Clippers 125-87 on Thursday for their largest win of the season.
A franchise that won five championships behind a dominant defense under Gregg Popovich has been troubled by an inability to stop people this season. Two weeks ago, the Spurs lost by 30 points in three games after the franchise suffered only five such losses in Popovich’s first 1,758 games.
San Antonio has since staged a revival, holding an opponent under 100 points for the third straight game while winning the first four games of a six-game homestand. With fans celebrating in giveaway T-shirts featuring the team’s Fiesta colors, the Spurs feel like they have finally turned the corner defensively.
Rudy Gay had 21 points and DeRozan added 14 as San Antonio handed Los Angeles its worst loss of the season.
Tobias Harris scored 17 points for the Clippers and Danilo Gallinari and Avery Bradley added 15 apiece. Los Angeles has lost two straight and four of five.
