NBA: Harden's 37 points carries Rockets past Knicks

James Harden paired 37 points with nine assists, while Ben McLemore and Austin Rivers added valuable double-digit production off the bench as the Houston Rockets cruised to a 123-112 victory over the New York Knicks on Monday at Toyota Center.

The Rockets have won eight of 10 by outflanking the opposition from the 3-point line, and they extended to a 25-point lead before cooling off when both benches cleared in the fourth period. Houston excelled offensively without guard Russell Westbrook, who was a late scratch (thumb).

Harden, Westbrook and P.J. Tucker all arrived just over an hour prior to tip-off after taking a private jet from Los Angeles following the memorial service for Lakers legend Kobe Bryant.

McLemore scored 17 points on 4-for-9 3-point shooting while Rivers chipped in 14 points, including nine in the third quarter. Eric Gordon, inserted into the starting lineup for Westbrook, scored 16 points over 28 minutes before departing in the second half with left knee soreness.

The Rockets have won eight consecutive games against the Knicks, who have followed a season-best four-game winning streak with four consecutive losses. Rookie RJ Barrett paced the Knicks with 21 points while Julius Randle added a double-double (17 points, 12 rebounds).

Dennis Smith Jr. tallied 15 points and a career-high seven steals for the Knicks.

Barrett provided the Knicks a measure of optimism with 14 first-quarter points, and his running layup with 3:20 left in the period capped a 15-2 run and spotted the Knicks a 27-24 advantage.

But McLemore closed the frame with a 3-pointer and added another following a Jeff Green 3 that opened the scoring in the second. 

Houston quickly extended to a 44-33 lead, and when the Knicks clawed to within 53-49 midway through the period, Harden responded with 13 consecutive points as Houston reclaimed control. 

Harden matched his season-high with 31 first-half points, doing so on just 16 shot attempts while converting 4 of 5 3-pointers.

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Harden scores 49, carrying battered Rockets by Wolves

James Harden recorded his fifth 40-plus point scoring effort during the Houston Rockets' seven-game winning streak, posting 49 in a 125-105 victory over the host Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday.

Hamstrung by a roster depleted by injuries, Harden took a career-high 41 shot attempts. He finished 8 of 22 on 3-pointers and added five rebounds and six assists over 39 minutes.

A trio of guards provided Harden support offensively. Ben McLemore followed his 21-point performance Friday against Indiana with 20 points, including a pair of free throws with 1:29 left in the third quarter that gave the Rockets their first double-digit lead at 89-79.

Austin Rivers and Chris Clemons scored 19 points apiece for the Rockets, who also received a career-best 16 rebounds from center Isaiah Hartenstein. Houston shot 19 of 49 on 3-pointers.

The Timberwolves led by as many as 11 points in the first half but struggled to contain Harden. They also missed the production of their second-leading scorer, forward Andrew Wiggins, who missed his second consecutive game (personal reasons).

Karl-Anthony Towns paired 27 points with 15 rebounds to pace the Timberwolves, while Jake Layman scored 21 on 9-of-14 shooting. Robert Covington chipped in 17 points, while rookie Jarrett Culver added 13 points, all in the first half.

With the Rockets missing their second- (Russell Westbrook), third- (Clint Capela), fourth- (Danuel House Jr.) and fifth-leading scorers (Eric Gordon), Harden asserted himself offensively from the opening tip, hoisting 17 first-quarter shots to keep Houston afloat. Harden started the game 1 for 6 from the floor but went 6 of 11 down the stretch and tallied 18 points in the period, as the Rockets shot 6 of 12 from behind the arc and eked out a 31-30 advantage.

Clemons teamed with Harden to score all 13 points in a 13-3 Houston run that erased most of the Timberwolves' 21-10 lead. Clemons, an undrafted rookie out of Campbell, matched his career high of 16 points by the intermission. 

With Harden producing 30 points by the break, that duo was able to offset Towns' 18 points and the combined 24 points from Culver and Layman to lead 64-62.

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Paul Pierce hurts ankle as Clippers club Celtics

Doc Rivers couldn't resist needling Los Angeles Lakers' fans after Paul Pierce went down with an ankle injury Monday night.

"It is his ankle, which is good news, because when he went down I thought it was his knee," Rivers said. "Of course, the Lakers' fans thought they were going to bring out the wheelchair at some point, but they didn't do that, so that was good."

Rivers was referring to the 2008 NBA Finals when he was coach of the Boston Celtics and Pierce was one of the team's stars. Pierce left the court in a wheelchair with an apparent leg injury, only to return a short time later and resume playing.

Pierce's ankle sprain put more of a scare into the Clippers than the Celtics did. Austin Rivers scored 16 points, and Los Angeles rolled past Boston 114-90 at Staples Center.

DeAndre Jordan and Jamal Crawford added 15 points apiece for the Clippers, who won their third consecutive decision. Jordan also had 13 rebounds and three blocks in three quarters.

Chris Paul finished with 13 points and 14 assists, Wesley Johnson scored 11 points, and Jeff Green contributed 10 for Los Angeles (46-27). Paul's 14 assists equaled the entire output of the Celtics, while the Clippers had 29.

Isaiah Thomas led Boston with 24 points, while Avery Bradley and Marcus Smart each scored 13. The Celtics (43-31) had their four-game winning streak snapped.

The Clippers' shooting was the difference. The Clippers made 52.4 percent of their shots to 34.8 percent for the Celtics. Los Angeles also connected on 11 of 25 (44 percent) 3-point tries to seven of 19 (36.8 percent) for Boston.

"Any team in this league, if they're knocking down shots, it's tough to guard," said Smart, who connected on six of 12 shots but missed all four of his 3-point attempts. "They were very comfortable out there, and we kind of let them get into their zone. It was hard to stop them in the second half."

Pierce, who scored eight points in 12 minutes, hurt himself with 2:06 left in the second quarter when he drove to the bucket as he was defended by Jared Sullinger. He slumped to the court after he landed at an awkward angle under the basket.

"I was worried about him," Paul said. "I did not even see him fall. Once he made (the shot), my mind clicked straight to defense. Paul is a warrior and a guy that has been through a lot, and we are glad that he is OK."

Pierce's departure occurred when the Clippers were completing a dominating second quarter that allowed them to bolt past the Celtics. They outscored Boston 37-26 in the second and turned a six-point advantage after the first quarter into a 67-50 halftime lead.

Los Angeles increased the margin to 92-70 heading into the final quarter.

Austin Rivers scored 10 points in the second quarter.

"Sometimes, we try to get it back in one play," said Thomas, who collected half of his points on the foul line, where he hit 12 of 13. "A lot of teams do that, though. We can't get down like that, especially to a good team. It's hard to come back against a really good team and get down 20, especially on the road. We can't put ourselves in that hole.

"Honestly, we just didn't make shots. For the most part, we got the looks that we wanted, (but) guys didn't make shots. Like I said, against a team as good as they are, you have to play a perfect game on the road. You have to be able to make shots and defend them at a high level. We didn't do that."

The clubs split the season series. The Celtics won the initial meeting 139-134 in overtime at Boston.

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To Clippers' delight, Rivers more than just coach's kid

LOS ANGELES - Austin Rivers has gone from the 'coach's kid' to proving he belongs with the championship contending Los Angeles Clippers.

A flurry of jump shots and a blur of drives to the basket sparked the coach's son to 15 of his playoff-high 25 points during a defining third quarter as the Clippers beat the Houston Rockets on Friday.

The performance left the Staples Center crowd chanting Austin's name and his father and coach, Doc Rivers, suppressing a smile as the Clippers took a 2-1 lead in their best of seven Western Conference semi-final series.

The teams play again on Sunday in Los Angeles.

"It was so much fun out there," the younger Austin, a guard, said after coming off the bench.

"I've worked so hard this summer and this season with (Doc) and my team mates. I have to keep going and never get too high or too low."

His outburst was an undeniable high, so much so that Clippers point guard Chris Paul approached Doc Rivers and told him he had permission to be a dad and not just the team's coach.

"I told him 'you can put the other hat on for a second,' " Paul said.

"You see that during the game and (I thought about my own parents). As a team we talk about it all the time - it has to be an odd dynamic to be coach, dad and son."

That dynamic is one they have tried to downplay since the Clippers acquired Austin in a January deal with New Orleans.

He became the first player in NBA history to play for his father, and his performance has been a referendum on Doc's decision to bring him on.

But until Friday the reviews had been mixed, as the 22-year-old guard can be unpredictable and erratic.

In the closing minute of a Game Two loss to the Rockets on Wednesday, Austin slipped and lost the ball on a play that led to taunts across the country.

But he has been pivotal in the playoffs, averaging nine points and shooting 48 percent from the field.

He is gaining the confidence of his team and fan base, even if his coach is not willing to turn into a doting father just yet.

"Yeah, you want (Austin to do well) but they're all my sons," Doc Rivers said. (Editing by Gene Cherry)

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Clippers rout Rockets to win Game 3

The Los Angeles Clippers coasted to a 124-99 rout of the Houston Rockets in Game Three of their Western Conference semi-final on Friday.

Austin Rivers scored 25 points and sparked a pivotal second-half run, while J.J. Redick led all scorers with 31 points on 11-of-14 shooting from the field as the Clippers took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Clippers point guard Chris Paul returned after missing the opening two games of the series with a strained left hamstring, finishing with 12 points and seven assists and only one turnover in 23 minutes.

Blake Griffin had 22 points and 14 rebounds but committed seven of the Clippers' 18 turnovers. Houston had 15.

All five Rockets starters scored in double figures, with MVP runner-up James Harden leading the way with 25 points and 11 assists. Dwight Howard had 14 points and 14 rebounds.

Rivers finished 10-of-13 from the floor and 3-of-6 from three-point range.

Houston guard Jason Terry was ejected with eight minutes left after a brief altercation with Griffin.

Game Four is on Sunday in Los Angeles. (Editing by Peter Rutherford)

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