James Harden scored 36 points as the Houston Rockets beat the Brooklyn Nets 123-113 Tuesday night at Barclays Center in New York.
Harden helped the Rockets win for the 12th time in 14 games by shooting 11-of-23, making all 10 free throws attempts and four 3-pointers and adding five assists in his 17th game with at least 30 points.
Chris Paul added 25 while Clint Capela contributed 18.
Harden, Paul and Capela combined to shoot 28-of-50 as the Rockets improved to 23-1 when the trio appears in the same game.
Reserve Gerald Green chipped in 16 and hit four 3-pointers on a night when Houston shot 55.6 percent and made 16 of 33 3-pointers despite losing Ryan Anderson to an ankle injury in the first half.
DeMarre Carroll scored 21 points for the Nets, who lost for the seventh time in eight games. The Nets also lost Caris LeVert to a possible concussion when he fell to the floor while being hit by Nene on the final possession of the third quarter.
Spencer Dinwiddie added 18 and rookie Jarrett Allen contributed 16, as the Nets shot 47.7 percent and made 16 of 35 3-pointers.
Brooklyn took an 81-80 lead on a 3-pointer by Dinwiddie with 4:30 left in the third quarter. After Harden was blocked by Jahlil Okafor, Dinwiddie heaved in a 3-pointer as the shot clock expired for an 84-80 lead with 3:38 to go. The lead was brief, though, as Houston used a 16-6 run and took a 96-86 lead going into the fourth.
The Rockets began putting the finishing touches on their latest win early in the fourth before Harden returned. It was 105-92 with 8:53 left when Paul found Eric Gordon for a reverse layup, and the Rockets maintained a 105-94 edge when Harden returned.
Harden helped finish it off by hitting a step-back 3 with 5:52 left for a 113-99 lead. After the Nets used an 8-2 run to get within 115-107 on a 3-pointer by James Webb III, Harden hit two free throws with 2:02 remaining to reach 30 points.
Harden surpassed 30 points by hitting three foul shots with 63 seconds remaining for a 120-111 lead. Harden scored his final points on a 3-pointer with 33 seconds remaining.
–Field Level Media
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