Rockets beat Spurs on Christmas
The Houston Rockets beat the San Antonio Spurs 88-84 on Christmas at Toyota Center.
Ty Lawson’s 11-foot pull-up jumper put the Rockets ahead for good with 46 seconds left in the third quarter.
The Spurs got within 70-69 on Tim Duncan’s layup with 6:40 to play, but Dwight Howard answered with a cutting layup, and the Spurs got no closer.
Late in the fourth quarter, Jason Terry had 3 steals, and the Rockets scored 4 points off them.
James Harden had 20 points (10 in the third quarter) and 9 assists but shot 7 for 21, and Terry added 12 points and 3 steals off the bench.
For the Spurs, Kawhi Leonard had 20 points, 8 rebounds, 5 steals and 3 blocks.
The Rockets shot 43.2% from the field and 46.7% from 3 to the Spurs’ 40.9% and 25.0%. They held the Spurs to 84 points. They did not make a field goal in the last 3:36.