Harden has 43 points and 13 assists as Rockets beat Kings 116-110
James Harden had 43 points (19 in the second quarter) and 13 assists, and the Houston Rockets beat the Sacramento Kings 116-110.
The Rockets took control with a 17-2 run in the first quarter and led by as many as 20.
The Kings got within 87-86 on Seth Curry’s 3-pointer with 10:02 to play, but Harden answered with a free throw, and the Kings got no closer.
In the fourth quarter, Ty Lawson had 2 steals, 1 of them during a 9-0 Rockets run, and the Rockets scored 2 points off them.
Harden scored 15 of his 43 points in the fourth quarter.
For the Kings, Omri Casspi scored 22 points (12 in the paint) on 8 for 10 shooting off the bench, and Darren Collison added 22 points and 9 assists off the bench.
The Rockets shot 48.8% from the field and 41.7% from 3 to the Kings’ 43.0% and 32.1%. The Kings outscored the Rockets 70-13 off the bench. The Rockets’ starters outscored the Kings 58-33 in 21 minutes together.