Harden scores 46, as Rockets overcome 21-point deficit
James Harden scored 46 points and the Houston Rockets overcame a 21-point, third-quarter deficit to beat the Trail Blazers 119-105 on Thursday night, snapping host Portland’s six-game winning streak.
[...] the Rockets proved resilient against the Blazers, rallying to tie it 95-95 on Harden’s layup with 7:40 left, then taking the lead on Howard’s dunk.
Damian Lillard had 23 points for the Blazers, who had won 15 of their previous 18 to move into playoff position in the Western Conference.
McCollum’s three-pointer early in the third quarter stretched the lead to 72-51, and the Blazers still led by 20 points after Lillard’s two free throws with 6:26 left in the period.
Harden hit consecutive three-pointers that got Houston to 91-83, part of a run in which he scored 14 straight points for the Rockets.
Kawhi Leonard scored 29 points in San Antonio’s fourth straight road victory.
Utah led by seven in the first quarter, but the No. 1-ranked scoring defense in the NBA cranked it up and held the Jazz to their lowest point total of the season.
Bojan Bogdanovic scored a career-high 24 points to help Brooklyn deal Phoenix its 13th consecutive loss, tying a single-season franchise record.
Mirza Teletovic led the Suns with a season-high 30 points in their eighth straight loss at home, a franchise worst.
Isaiah Thomas scored 27 points, including eight in the fourth quarter, and Boston recorded its ninth straight home victory.