LOS ANGELES, (MILLAT/APP/AFP) – James
Harden’s 16th triple-double of the season led the Houston Rockets to victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday as Boston sent Chicago spinning to their fifth consecutive defeat.
Harden topped the scoring with 38 points as the Rockets improved to 46-21 to strengthen their grip on third spot in the Western Conference standings in Texas with a 117-112 win.
Harden was one of six Houston players to make double figures, with Ryan Anderson the next top scorer with 16 points, while Patrick Beverley and Eric Gordon both weighed in with 13 apiece.
Cleveland, who fell to 43-22, were reliant on LeBron James and Kyrie Irving to provide the bulk of their points.
James led the Cavs scoring with 30 points while Irving weighed with 28. Only one other Cleveland player — Richard Jefferson with 16 — made double figures at Houston’s Toyota Center.
With the exception of James and Irving, a weary Cavs line-up looked to be suffering after-effects from Saturday’s road game in Orlando, where no fewer than seven players had posted double figures.
Harden’s virtuoso display ultimately tipped a back-and-forth battle
Houston’s way.
The 27-year-old point guard’s 11-point third quarter was crucial as Houston wiped out a nine-point halftime deficit to haul the Rockets back into the contest.