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 Harden produced an offensive outburst in the third quarter en
route to a season-high 45 points and lifted the Rockets to a 110-98
victory over the Indiana Pacers on Monday at Toyota Center.
Harden scored 18 points on 5-of-7 shooting in the third, keying a
decisive 15-2 run with a trio of 3-pointers that helped push the
Rockets to a commanding 86-62 lead. He capped his virtuoso
performance by nailing a negated half-court shot just a split-second
after the buzzer sounded to whip the crowd into a frenzy and inspire
"M-V-P!" chants.
Harden finished one point shy of matching his career high while
shooting 12-of-18 from the floor and 14-of-15 from the free-throw
line. He played the role of facilitator in the first half, posting
12 points and five assists to set the stage for his scoring binge
after the intermission.
"It makes the defense move," Harden said of the early ball movement.
"You make the defense move, everybody gets open shots and then you
get the defense second-guessing what they normally do.
"When we're moving the basketball and everybody is getting touches
and easy shots, it makes the game easier for us."
The Pacers (15-28) trailed wire to wire in their fifth consecutive
loss. After slipping into a double-digit hole just three minutes
into the game, Indiana repeatedly rallied behind the sharpshooting
of reserve guards C.J. Miles and Donald Sloan and the board work of
center Ian Mahinmi.
Miles posted 23 points and six rebounds while Sloan chipped in 17
points and six assists and combined with Miles to shoot 16-for-29.
Mahinmi had nine points and 14 boards, including six offensively.
After Houston (29-13) surged ahead 17-4 on a Harden layup, the teams
traded rallies for the rest of the half. Indiana clawed to within
41-40 on a Sloan four-point play in the second quarter, capping a
13-2 run.
The Rockets responded with 12 consecutive points, including
3-pointers from guard Jason Terry and Harden. Houston rebuilt its
lead to a dozen points in the third quarter, watched Indiana whittle
it to single digits once more, and then rode Harden to a 24-point
advantage.
"He's having a great year, an MVP type of season," Pacers coach
Frank Vogel said of Harden. "He has to be in that conversation, and
was just way too much for us."
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Indiana sliced the deficit to 103-95 with 2:31 left in the fourth
quarter, but the Rockets lead was too bloated for the Pacers to
complete the comeback. The Pacers made their run primarily on the
strength of their bench, with only forward Solomon Hill (13 points)
and center Roy Hibbert (12 points) scoring in double figures among
the starters.
"We made a run later in the game, but by that time it was very hard
to make the push when we were down 18," Miles said. "I keep saying
we are playing hard, but we just have to win some games."
Rockets center Dwight Howard added a double-double with 14 points
and 17 rebounds. Reserve forward Corey Brewer, integral to the
Rockets' run in the second, scored six of his 13 points in that
period.
"Dwight got every rebound out there, which was fantastic," Rockets
coach Kevin McHale said. "We found him a little bit in the offense
but not a ton. He got fouled a lot around the basket. He did a great
job."
NOTES: Pacers F Solomon Hill recorded his team-high 27th
double-figure-scoring game Monday after he was held scoreless for
the first time this season in a loss at Charlotte on Saturday. ...
Rockets F Terrence Jones addressed his ongoing rehab and stated that
there is no specific timetable for his return from left leg nerve
inflammation that has cost him all but four games this season. ...
Pacers G George Hill missed his 10th consecutive game with a left
groin strain. In his absence, Pacers G Donald Sloan ranked fifth in
the NBA with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 3.36 through Sunday.
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