James Harden erupts for 59 points in Rockets win over Wizards
Thursday 31 October 2019 08:21, UK
James Harden scored 59 points and hit a free throw with 2.4 seconds left to lift the Houston Rockets to a wild 159-158 win over the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night.
After Bradley Beal hit three free throws to tie it with 7.7 seconds left, Harden drove, got the foul call and made the first free throw. He missed the second and Washington were unable to get a shot off.
Harden shot 18-of-32 from the field, 6-of-14 from three-point range and 17-of-18 from the free-throw line. He also contributed nine assists, three rebounds and a steal.
Rookie Rui Hachimura's three-pointer gave the Wizards a 95-89 lead midway through the third quarter but the Rockets soon tied it on a four-point play by Harden.
The Wizards fought to build up their lead again and found themselves 10 points in front in the fourth quarter but Houston rallied again as Russell Westbrook and Harden scored to pull the Rockets within 147-142 with 3:11 remaining.
Harden's two free throws pulled Houston within 152-148 and Westbrook's basket cut the deficit to two points with 1:25 left.
"I didn't know we were going to have to score about 160 points to win, but whatever it takes it took," Houston coach Mike D'Antoni said. "A lot of great individual performances. [The Wizards] played unbelievable. They didn't miss anything. We just let down a little bit and they made everything."
Washington didn't make everything, but did shoot 62.6 per cent the field and drain 20 of 36 three-pointers. Houston shot 53.4 per cent and made 42.6 per cent of their threes.
Neither team scored less than 34 in a quarter, while both eclipsed 40 points in a quarter at least twice. When the dust settled, Houston emerged victorious while the Wizards' 158 points fell just three short of a franchise record for points in a game. Seven players reached double-figures for Washington
Beal scored 46 points for Washington, hitting three throws with 8.1 seconds left to tie it at 158 before Harden supplied the coup de grace.
"I hate moral victories," Beal said. "But it's always a good feeling knowing that when we lose, it's always one or two things we can fix."
Harden had 38 points in the second half - 21 in the third quarter and 17 in the fourth.
"The only way we'll get to where we want to go is our defensive efforts and it has to be consistent," Harden said. "Right now we're not consistent and that's why we go through tough times like that. That's what the course of the year is for. We just try and build those habits and continue to keep building."
Westbrook had just three points in the first three quarters, then scored 14 in the fourth quarter and finished with his second triple-double of the season. He had 12 assists and 10 rebounds. Clint Capela added 21 points and 12 rebounds to help Houston improved to 3-1.
Rui Hachimura had 23 points in his home debut for the Wizards and Davis Bertans added 21 as Washington dropped to 1-3.
Wizards coach Scott Brooks was left to rue the outcome. "We were one play from winning an exciting game," he said.
