James Harden had 28 points and 10 assists, and the Houston Rockets beat the Charlotte Hornets 118-106 for their ninth straight win.
The Rockets took control with a 28-9 run in the first quarter and led by as many as 29.
Eric Gordon scored 22 points (9 in the first quarter) with 5 3-pointers, and Clint Capela added 19 points (16 in the paint) and 15 rebounds on 8 for 12 shooting.
For the Hornets, Kemba Walker had 40 points, 10 rebounds and 7 assists on 14 for 20 shooting.
The Rockets went 25 for 27 at the line to the Hornets’ 14 for 15. The Hornets got 7 offensive rebounds, about 4 fewer than usual for the shots they missed. The Rockets outscored the Hornets 24-13 in 6 minutes with Tucker, Gordon, Harden, Faried and Rivers on the floor together.