LDN - Sports

Harden erupts for 38, Rockets KO Trail Blazers

[November 28, 2016] PORTLAND, Ore. -- With the Rockets' offense revved up into top form, Houston's defense turned the tide in the critical fourth quarter of a 130-114 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday night at Moda Center.

"We got a couple of stops and that changed the game," Rockets star James Harden said. "If we rely on our defense and we get stops no matter what our offense does, we'll have a chance to win games."

Perhaps, but it was offense that was the calling card as Houston (11-6) won for the fifth time in six outings. Harden scored 38 points and dished out 10 assists, Eric Gordon came off the bench for 26 points, and Clint Capela contributed 21 points and nine rebounds for the Rockets.

"They just made plays," Portland guard Allen Crabbe said. "They're a good offensive team. James Harden had a night. When he gets it going, they all get going. Eric Gordon had a night, too. Everything we tried to throw at them, they capitalized on it."

CJ McCollum collected 28 points and seven assists, and Damian Lillard chipped in 27 points for the Trail Blazers (9-10), who lost for the sixth time in eight contests.

"You can't ever stop those two guys," Houston coach Mike D'Antoni said. "You just try to keep up with them."

Both teams blistered the nets as the score was tied 35-35 after one quarter. Harden scored 11 points for Houston, while Lillard and McCollum each had 10 for Portland.

"(The Blazers) were on fire, making hard shots and playing great, and we were even," D'Antoni said. "That set a nice tone for the rest of the game."

The sides battled back and forth through the second quarter, with Portland leading 50-46 before Harden keyed an 14-2 Houston surge for a 60-52 advantage. Harden had 21 points as Houston went into intermission with a 65-62 lead. McCollum topped Portland with 20 points at the break.

The Rockets extended their advantage to 85-75, but the Blazers answered with a 10-0 run to tie it at 85-85. Houston carried a 96-93 edge into the final period.

It was 104-100 Houston with eight minutes left, but the Rockets scored seven in a row to push it to 111-100 with six minutes to play. Capela's layup made it 118-104 with 4:08 remaining. Portland never got closer than nine points the rest of the way.

The Rockets shot 56.1 percent from the field and a sizzling 47.2 percent (17 for 36) from 3-point range.

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Rockets guard James Harden (13) stretches before the game against the Portland Trail Blazers at the Moda Center at the Rose Quarter. Mandatory Credit: Steve Dykes-USA TODAY Sports

"We knew they were a great scoring team," Lillard said. "We've seen them put up big numbers against a lot of teams and shoot a lot of threes. We knew what we were up against. We just didn't do a good enough job consistently of giving them a hard time at the defensive end."

The Rockets are buoyed by the fact they have played 11 of their 17 games on the road.

"We've been tested, and guys are playing well," Harden said. "Our system, our team, the coaching staff -- the entire group is really good right now. Guys have bought in, and we all have one goal."

The Blazers, meanwhile, are growing weary of being the lowest-rated defensive team in the NBA.

"It's communication in situations where we'll have two good possessions, and the third time, we'll take it for granted and, boom, there goes a 3," Lillard said. "We can't lose the hot man in transition. It's a lot of things we're screwing up in different parts of the game. We're not being consistent enough at certain things that should be a given."

NOTES: Portland F Al-Farouq Aminu (calf) missed his 11th consecutive game. ... Houston was coming off a 117-104 win over Sacramento on Friday in which the Rockets attempted an NBA-record 50 3-point shots, making 21. "Every time we're open, or fairly open, we'll shoot them," Houston coach Mike D'Antoni said. ... Houston G James Harden has three triple-doubles this season, including one with 26 points, 12 rebounds and 14 assists in just 32 minutes in a 126-109 win over Portland on Nov. 17, the last time the teams met. Harden also had a triple-double (23, 10 and 10) against the Kings. "Scoring and assists, you think of Nate Archibald, though he was a different size," Portland coach Terry Stotts said. "The other guy he reminds you a little of is Oscar Robertson, though I'm reluctant to compare anybody to him."

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