The Toronto Raptors defeated the Boston Celtics , 107 - 97 , at Air Canada Centre on Friday evening . The Raptors ( 34 - 24 ) found out earlier in the day that star point guard Kyle Lowry would miss the game with a right wrist injury . That thrust Cory Joseph into the starting five , and , as is often the case when Lowry misses , shone a brighter spotlight on his backcourt mate DeMar DeRozan . However , his absence was also partly made up for Friday by the debuting Serge Ibaka , who was playing his first game in a Toronto uniform following his trade from the Orlando Magic . The tightly - contested affair saw the Celtics ( 37 - 21 ) enter the fourth period holding a slim 77 - 74 lead , but the home team mounted a comeback , outscoring their visitors by a 33 - 20 margin over the final 12 minutes . Isaiah Thomas once again led Boston , posting 20 points , five assists and three rebounds . However , he struggled with his shot , going 6 - of - 17 overall from the field , including 3 - of - 10 from behind the arc . Jae Crowder and Marcus Smart followed with matching 19 - point efforts , with the former adding four rebounds and one assist , and the latter supplying five rebounds and four assists over 32 minutes off the bench . Jaylen Brown drew another start at shooting guard for Avery Bradley ( Achilles ) and produced 13 points , two assists , one steal and one block . Al Horford turned in a modest stat line of eight points , five rebounds , one assist and one steal . DeRozan paced the Raptors with a spectacular career - high 43 - point tally that he supplemented with five rebounds and five assists , With Lowry out of the lineup , DeRozan took 28 shot attempts overall , draining 15 , and also visited the charity stripe a game - high 12 times . Ibaka was impressive in his debut , supplying 15 points , seven rebounds , one steal and one block . Joseph did a solid job filling in at point guard , amassing 11 points , six assists , one rebound and three steals . Patrick Patterson led the bench with 11 points , two rebounds and one assist , while P.J . Tucker , also making his Raptors debut , generated nine points , 10 boards , one assist and a trio of steals . The Celtics head to the Motor City for a Sunday afternoon showdown with the Detroit Pistons , while the Raptors remain home to tangle with the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday as well .

The tightly - contested affair saw the Celtics enter the fourth period holding a slim 77 - 74 lead , but the Raptors mounted a comeback , outscoring their visitors by a 33 - 20 margin over the final 12 minutes . DeMar DeRozan 's career - high 43 - point tally led Toronto . With Kyle Lowry ( wrist ) out of the lineup , DeRozan took 28 shot attempts overall , draining 15 , and also visited the charity stripe a game - high 12 times . Serge Ibaka put up 15 points and seven boards in his Toronto debut . Cory Joseph amassed 11 points in his spot start , and Patrick Patterson matched his scoring total while leading the bench . Isaiah Thomas ' 20 points led Boston , but shot just 35 percent overall . Jae Crowder and Marcus Smart followed with matching 19 - point efforts . Jaylen Brown produced 13 points , while Al Horford turned in a modest eight - point tally .


As the Raptors jockey for position in the Eastern Conference playoff race without Kyle Lowry , DeMar DeRozan has taken the reigns . DeRozan followed up a 43 - point outing against Boston with a team - high 33 in Toronto 's win over Portland on Sunday . DeRozan shot a stellar 9 - of - 16 and a very impressive 15 - of - 16 from the free - throw line . Newly-acquired Raptor Serge Ibaka , meanwhile , shot 8 - of - 15 for 18 points and came away with 10 rebounds , two steals , and a blocked shot . The Raps as a whole shot a very impressive 54 percent from the field . Portland , meanwhile , saw a nice 28 points and eight assists from star point guard Damian Lillard . Lillard shot 10 - of - 20 from the field and knocked down four three - pointers . Backcourt partner C.J . McCollum had another 17 points but shot just 6 - of - 19 . As a team , the Blazers hit only 44 percent of their shots .

The host Toronto Raptors edged out the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday , 112 - 106 . Toronto ( 35 - 24 ) has now won three straight after a complete collapse during the month of January . The Raps are tied with Washington for third in the East and trail Boston by three games for the second seed . Despite missing star point guard Kyle Lowry , Toronto was able to hold on for the win on Sunday . This was largely due to the play of All-Star DeMar DeRozan , who led the team with 33 points on 9 - of - 16 shooting and a stellar 15 - of - 16 from the free - throw line . The Raptors offense as a whole functioned at a very high level throughout the game . The team shot almost 54 percent from the field and saw an additional 18 points come from newly - added big man Serge Ibaka . Ibaka also had 10 rebounds , two steals , and two blocks . Portland ( 24 - 34 ) is quickly losing ground in the tight Western Conference playoff race . Sunday did the team no favors , as they were defeated quite narrowly by the Lowry-less Raptors . Damian Lillard led the team with 28 points and shot an efficient 10 - of - 20 . He added eight assists . The team was relatively quiet on the inside , due in part to center Jusuf Nurkic being limited to just 21 minutes of play . Nurkic , a relatively new Trail Blazer who was acquired in a trade with deadline , had two teeth knocked out during a collision in the game . It did not keep him out of commission for too long , however , as the young big man simply handed the teeth to a trainer and readied himself to play again . The Blazers will visit Detroit on Tuesday while Toronto will see New York .


Bojan Bogdanovic and Bradley Beal combined for nearly half of Washington 's scoring , and the visitors outscored their hosts by a whopping 26 - 1 margin in the first 5:54 of the period . On the defensive end , the Wizards stymied Toronto to the tune of sub - 40 percent success rates from both the field and three - point range overall . Bogdanovic 's 27 points , which included a 6 - for - 7 tally from three - point range , paced the Wizards . Beal followed with 23 , and Markieff Morris contributed 13 . John Wall generated a 12 - point , 13 - assist double - double . Marcin Gortat matched Wall 's scoring total and added eight boards and one assist . DeMar DeRozan 's 24 points led Toronto . Serge Ibaka posted a 22 - point , 12 - rebound double - double . Norman Powell was next with a bench - leading 17 points , while Cory Joseph provided 11 . Jonas Valanciunas mustered a modest seven points but hauled in 11 boards .

The Washington Wizards defeated the Toronto Raptors , 105 - 96 , at Air Canada Centre on Wednesday evening . The Raptors ( 36 - 25 ) have put up valiant efforts thus far in the absence of All-Star point guard Kyle Lowry , with DeMar DeRozan particularly taking on an elevated role . However , when quality opponents come calling , the void felt by the absence of a player of Lowry 's caliber eventually rears its ugly head . Such was the case Wednesday , as the Wizards ( 36 - 23 ) leveraged superb efforts from trade - deadline acquisition Bojan Bogdanovic and trusted shooting guard Bradley Beal to pull out the tough road win . The pair combined for nearly half of Washington 's point total , and the visitors made a game - changing statement in the second quarter by outscoring their hosts by a whopping 26 - 1 in the first 5:54 of the period . On the defensive end , the Wizards stymied Toronto to the tune of sub - 40 percent success rates from both the field and three - point range overall . Bogdanovic paced the Wizards overall with 27 points , his best scoring haul since donning his new team 's uniform . His effort included a sensational 6 - for - 7 tally from behind the arc . Beal followed with 23 points , three assists , one rebound , two steals and one block . Markieff Morris was next with a productive stat line of 13 points , eight rebounds and five assists . John Wall generated a 12 - point , 13 - assist double - double that also included four rebounds and one block . Marcin Gortat matched Wall 's scoring total and added eight boards and one assist . Otto Porter , Jr. surprisingly went scoreless over 19 minutes , contributing only three rebounds and one steal . Bogdanovic 's aforementioned hot hand combined with Porter 's struggles allowed the former ample playing time . As customary , DeMar DeRozan led Toronto , totaling 24 points , four rebounds and two assists . Serge Ibaka , whose offensive presence has been especially valued in the wake of Lowry 's injury , provided 22 points , 12 rebounds , two blocks and one steal . Norman Powell was next with a bench - leading 17 points , which he supplemented two boards and two assists . Cory Joseph provided 11 points , four rebounds , one assist and one steal . Jonas Valanciunas mustered a modest seven points but did haul in 11 boards and dish out one assist . The two teams now head back to the Nation 's Capital for the second game of the home - and - home series , which unfolds on Friday night .


Dallas have struggled on offense all season and this 78 - point effort shows just why . Toronto did a nice job on defense though , holding the Mavericks to 37 percent from the field and 28 percent from three - point range . Rebounding was the key for the Raptors , as they won that battle , 55 - 34 . Harrison Barnes led Dallas in scoring , as he dropped 18 points . Dirk Nowitzki was their best player , as he totaled 17 points , seven rebounds and two assists . Dwight Powell recorded a double - double off the bench , providing 10 points and 10 rebounds . DeMar DeRozan carried the load for Toronto , as he accrued 26 points , six rebounds , two assists and two steals . Norman Powell started and finished with 19 points , five rebounds and three assists . Jonas Valanciunas recorded a double - double , totaling 14 points and 12 rebounds .

The Toronto Raptors defeated the Dallas Mavericks , 100 - 78 , at Air Canada Center on Monday . While this game was close in the first half , Toronto took care of business in the second half to cruise to a win . There were actually six ties and eight lead changes in the first half , as the Raptors then outscored the Mavericks , 50 - 32 , in the second half . Rebounding was the glaring difference in the game , with Toronto winning that battle , 55 - 34 . They also stifled Dallas with their defense , holding the Mavericks to 37 percent from the field and 28 percent from three - point range . The Mavericks ( 28 - 38 ) are battling for the eight - seed in the west and losses like this are devastating for that pursuit . Harrison Barnes led Dallas , as he scored 18 points on 7 - of - 16 shooting . Dirk Nowitzki was n't far behind , as he tallied 17 points , seven rebounds and two assists . Dwight Powell led the bench , as he provided 10 points and 10 rebounds . It was n't just a loss in the record book , as Wesley Matthews suffered a calf strain and was unable to return after 17 minutes of action . On deck for Dallas is a road matchup against the Washington Wizards on Wednesday . The Raptors ( 39 - 28 ) had lost four of six headed into this matchup , so this win is just what the doctor ordered . DeMar DeRozan led the way for Toronto , as he collected 25 points , six rebounds , two assists and two steals on 10 - of - 17 shooting . Norman Powell finished second on the team , accruing 19 points , five rebounds and three assists . Jonas Valanciunas amassed 14 points and 12 rebounds en route to a double - double . Toronto will look to build off this win in a home matchup against the Oklahoma City thunder on Thursday .


It 's rare to see a home team so thoroughly dominated , but that was just the case here . In fact , the Thunder pulled out the wire - to - wire win , while holding a double - digit lead for the final 20 - plus minutes . Shooting was key , with Oklahoma City hitting 53 percent from the field and 56 percent from three , while Toronto shooting only 46 percent from the field and 26 percent from long range . The Thunder also took care of the rebounding , winning that battle , 47 - 32 . Russell Westbrook notched his 34th triple - double , as he accumulated 24 points , 10 rebounds and 16 assists . Victor Oladipo finished with 23 points and five rebounds . DeMar DeRozan was the lone bright spot for the Raptors , as he tallied 22 points , three rebounds and three assists . Norman Powell finished second on the team , providing 13 points and four rebounds .

The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the host Toronto Raptors , 123 - 102 , at Air Canada Center on Thursday . It 's rare to see Toronto dominated in its home building , but that was just the case here . In fact , this was a wire - to - wire win for Oklahoma City , as they led by at least 19 points for the entirety of the fourth quarter . Shooting was key , with the Thunder shooting 53 percent from the field and 56 percent from three - point range . The Raptors could only muster up 46 percent from the field and 26 percent from three - point range . Rebounding was decisive as well , with Oklahoma City winning that battle , 47 - 32 . The 33 assists recorded by the Thunder dominated the 15 dished out by Toronto too . The Thunder ( 39 - 29 ) have now won four - straight games , as they continue to ride Russell Westbrook 's heavy shoulders . Westbrook picked up his 34th triple - double of the season in this win , as he collected 24 points , 10 rebounds and 16 assists . Victor Oladipo was just behind Westbrook , totaling 23 points , five rebounds and two assists . Enes Kanter was a huge spark off the bench , providing 14 points and seven rebounds . Taj Gibson , Alex Abrines and Steven Adams each scored 10 points a piece . On deck for the Thunder is a home matchup against the Sacramento Kings on Saturday . The Raptors ( 39 - 29 ) continue to struggle without Kyle Lowry and home losses like this show just how much his absence hurts this team . DeMar DeRozan carried the load . as he tallied 22 points , three rebounds and three assists . Cory Joseph accrued 11 points , six assists and two steals . Norman Powell finished second on the team in scoring , dropping 13 points and four rebounds off the bench . Toronto will be in action again on Friday , as they play the Detroit Pistons on the road for their next game .


Toronto really dominated this game , as they led for the final 42 minutes and held a double - digit lead for the entirety of the second half . The Raptors shot 49 percent from the field and 44 percent from three - point range , while holding the Pacers to 41 percent from the field and 26 percent from long range . Toronto also abused Indiana on the boards , winning that battle , 51 - 33 . Paul George led Indiana with 18 points , four rebounds and two assists . Jeff Teague finished with 16 points and seven assists . Thaddeus Young also scored 16 points , adding four rebounds to his tally on 7 - of - 9 shooting . DeMar DeRozan carried Toronto , as he tallied 22 points , three rebounds and four assists . Jonas Valanciunas gathered up 11 points and 13 rebounds en route to a double - double . Serge Ibaka totaled 16 points and five rebounds .

The Toronto Raptors defeated the Indiana Pacers , 116 - 91 , at Air Canada Center on Sunday . In this potential playoff preview , Toronto showed just how good they can be in their home building . It was a near wire - to - wire win for the Raptors , as they led for the final 42 minutes . In addition , Toronto held a double - digit lead for the entirety of the second half . Shooting was decisive , with the Raptors hitting 49 percent from the field and 44 percent from three - point range . The Pacers shot just 41 percent from the field and 26 percent from long range . Rebounding was a glaring difference as well , with Toronto winning that battle , 51 - 33 . The Pacers ( 35 - 34 ) have now traded off wins and losses across their last 13 games , as they continue their pursuit for mediocrity . Paul George led the way for Indiana , as he tallied 18 points , four rebounds and two assists . Thaddeus Young finished with 16 points and four rebounds on 7 - of - 9 shooting . Jeff Teague accrued 16 points and seven assists . Monta Ellis was the only other Pacer in double figures , as he provided 10 points and three assists off the bench . On deck for the Pacers is a home matchup against the Utah Jazz on Monday . The Raptors ( 41 - 29 ) have been struggling without Kyle Lowry , but this was a huge win over a conference rival . DeMar DeRozan was the player of the game , as he accumulated 22 points , three rebounds and four assists . Serge Ibaka totaled 16 points and five rebounds . Jonas Valanciunas recorded a double - double , amassing 11 points and 13 rebounds . Cory Joseph started for Lowry and collected 11 points , four rebounds and nine assists . Norman Powell and Jakob Poeltl each scored in double figures off the bench . Toronto will look to build off this win on Tuesday against the Chicago Bulls .


The Raptors rallied from a 94 - 79 fourth - quarter deficit and overcome Serge Ibaka 's ejection for fighting with Chicago 's Robin Lopez to force overtime . Toronto had a 122 - 117 edge with just nine seconds remaining in the extra period before a Jimmy Butler three - pointer with two seconds left made it close . The Raptors were able to grab an offensive rebound on the final possession to seal the win . DeMar DeRozan 's 42 points paced Toronto . Cory Joseph tallied 19 points and Ibaka posted 16 . DeMarre Carroll and Jonas Valanciunas supplied matching eight - point efforts , while Norman Powell 's nine points led the bench . Butler 's 37 - point , 10 - rebound double - double led Chicago . Rajon Rondo scored 24 points , while Lopez had 12 points , four rebounds , one assist and three blocks before exiting . Paul Zipser matched Lopez 's point total and Bobby Portis 's nine points led the bench .

The Toronto Raptors defeated the Chicago Bulls in overtime , 122 - 120 , at Air Canada Centre on Tuesday night . The game was not for the faint of heart , as it featured a bit of everything . That included a third - quarter fight that saw Chicago 's Robin Lopez Toronto 's Serge Ibaka both get ejected , as well as a rally in the fourth quarter by the Raptors ( 42 - 29 ) from a 94 - 79 deficit . In overtime , Toronto looked like it had pulled away when it forged a 122 - 117 edge with just nine seconds remaining after two free throws from DeMar DeRozan but Jimmy Butler 's three - pointer with two seconds left brought the Bulls ( 33 - 38 ) back within two . DeRozan missed a shot on the ensuing possession but the Raptors were able to grab the offensive rebound , sealing the win . Butler paced the Bulls with 37 points , 10 rebounds , six assists , two blocks and one steal . Rajon Rondo followed with 24 points , eight assists , five rebounds and four steals . Lopez had 12 points , four rebounds , one assist and three blocks in 25 minutes before exiting . Paul Zipser drew the start and also pitched in with 12 points , along with five rebounds , four assists , two blocks and one steal . Bobby Portis led the bench with nine points and five boards . The Raptors were led by DeMar DeRozan , who poured in 42 points and added eight assists , seven rebounds , one steal and one block . Cory Joseph tallied 19 points , two assists , one rebound and one steal . Ibaka posted 16 points , six boards and one assist prior to his ejection . DeMarre Carroll and Jonas Valanciunas supplied matching eight - point efforts , while Norman Powell led the second unit with nine points , two rebounds and one assist . The Bulls head back home to tangle with the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night , while the Raptors head down to Miami for a Thursday night showdown with the Miami Heat .


DeMar DeRozan 's game - high 36 points led Toronto , and the Raptors tallied success rates of 59 percent from the field and 67 percent from three - point range . They also dominated down low , winning the rebounding battle by a 43 - 33 margin . Jonas Valanciunas followed DeRozan with 17 points and nine boards . Serge Ibaka totaled 16 points , while Cory Joseph submitted a 15 - point , 13 - assist double - double . Norman Powell led the bench with 16 points and Jakob Poetl turned in 12 on the second unit as well . Elfrid Payton managed a near double - double of 22 points and nine assists to lead Orlando . Evan Fournier was next with 20 points , while Terrence Ross was solid in his return to Toronto , supplying 17 . Aaron Gordon provided 16 points and Nikola Vucevic posted a 12 - point , 15 - rebound double - double . D.J . Augustin led the bench with eight points .

The Toronto Raptors defeated the Orlando Magic , 131 - 112 , at Air Canada Centre on Monday evening . The Raptors ( 45 - 29 ) have managed to remain in serious contention despite the ongoing absence of Kyle Lowry ( wrist ) , and DeMar DeRozan has unsurprisingly been a major reason why . The All-Star guard had rattled off a pair of 40 - point efforts recently and was in a potentially advantageous position for more of the same Monday , as the Magic ( 27 - 47 ) had been particularly vulnerable to shooting guards . DeRozan had also excelled in previous games against Orlando this season and the pattern held true once more , as he scored a game - high 36 points and added three assists and two rebounds . Toronto saw five other players score in double digits as well and tallied stellar success rates of 59 percent from the field and 67 percent from three - point range . They also dominated down low , winning the rebounding battle by a 43 - 33 margin . Orlando did see all five members of the first unit post double digits in the scoring column , beginning with Elfrid Payton , who managed a near double - double with 22 points , nine assists , one rebound , one steal and one block . Evan Fournier was next with 20 points , one rebound , one assist and two steals . Terrence Ross was solid in his return to Toronto , supplying 17 points , two boards and four steals . Aaron Gordon provided 16 points , one rebound and two steals . Nikola Vucevic posted a 12 - point , 15 - rebound double - double that also included four assists . D.J . Augustin led the bench with eight points . Jonas Valanciunas followed DeRozan with 17 points , nine boards and one block . Serge Ibaka totaled 16 points , seven rebounds , one assist and one steal . Cory Joseph submitted a 15 - point , 13 - assist double - double that also included six rebounds and a block . Norman Powell led the bench with 16 points , two assists , one rebound and one block while Jakob Poetl turned in 12 points and four rebounds on the second unit as well . The Magic head back home to face the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday evening , while the Raptors remain home and await the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday night as well .


Charlotte are trying to keep their playoff hopes alive and road wins like this are crucial for that pursuit . Three-point shooting was the difference , with the Hornets going 16 - of - 32 from long range , while the Raptors went just 11 - of - 31 . It took a late run by Charlotte to come back , as they outscored Toronto , 44 - 32 , in the fourth quarter . Marco Belinelli led the way for Charlotte , as he dropped 21 points on 7 - of - 11 shooting off the bench . Marvin Williams recorded a double - double , totaling 18 points and 12 rebounds . Kemba Walker accrued 19 points , four rebounds and two assists . DeMar DeRozan once against carried Toronto , as he tallied 28 points , six rebounds and eight assists . Jonas Valanciunas amassed 14 points and 15 rebounds . Cory Joseph started for Kyle Lowry ( wrist ) once again and provided 18 points , seven rebounds and five assists .

The Charlotte Hornets defeated the host Toronto Raptors , 110 - 106 , at Air Canada Center on Wednesday . This was a must win for Charlotte and it marked one of their biggest road victories of the season . Three-point shooting really carried the Hornets , as they went 16 - of - 32 from long distance , while the Raptors went just 11 - of - 31 . Charlotte also did a much better job of taking care of the ball , as they committed just nine turnovers , while forcing 14 from Toronto . Despite there being just five ties and five lead changes in total , neither team was able to lead by more than 11 points in this close - fought battle . The Hornets bench was huge as well , as they outscored the Raptors bench , 52 - 28 . It took a late run from the Hornets to cap off their win , as they outscored the Raptors , 44 - 32 , in the fourth quarter . The Hornets ( 34 - 41 ) are within two games of the eight - seed in the east , as this win shows how dangerous they can be . Kemba Walker led the starters in scoring , as he tallied 19 points , four rebounds and two assists . Nicolas Batum accumulated 15 points , four rebounds and three assists . Marvin Williams amassed 18 points and 12 rebounds en route to a double - double . Marco Belinelli led the team in scoring off the bench , as he dropped 21 points on 7 - of - 11 shooting . Frank Kaminsky also played well off the bench , providing 13 points , four rebounds and two assists . On deck for Charlotte is a home matchup versus the Denver Nuggets on Friday . The Raptors ( 45 - 30 ) had won six - straight headed into this game , but playing against someone who has their lives on the line is a completely different animal . DeMar DeRozan once again led the way for Toronto , as he collected 28 points , six rebounds and eight assists . Cory Joseph accrued 18 points , seven rebounds and five assists . Serge Ibaka totaled 15 points , two rebounds and two assists . Jonas Valanciunas recorded another double - double , amassing 14 points , 15 rebounds and three blocks on 5 - of - 6 shooting . Toronto will look to start a new winning streak on Friday in a home matchup against the Indiana Pacers .


The Toronto Raptors defeated the Indiana Pacers , 111 - 100 , at Air Canada Centre on Friday evening . The Raptors ( 46 - 30 ) were looking to bounce back from a tough 110 - 106 loss to the Hornets on Wednesday night , and they relied on two of their most dependable stars to get back into the win column . DeMar DeRozan continued to carry the Toronto offense on his shoulders by pouring in a game - high 40 points that he supplemented with nine rebounds , four assists and one steal . The All-Star guard made a whopping 20 visits to the charity stripe , draining 15 of those shots . Meanwhile , Jonas Valanciunas dominated down low against a Pacers ( 37 - 39 ) defense that 's struggled against bigs all season . The Raptors won the rebounding battle overall by a 53 - 42 margin and also shot 45 percent from the field and 52 percent from behind the arc . The third quarter was key , as Toronto outscored Indiana , 34 - 20 , to build sufficient cushion for the double - digit victory . Paul George led the way for the visitors with 28 points , nine rebounds , three assists and one steal . Jeff Teague followed with 19 points , five assists , four rebounds and one steal . Thaddeus Young posted a near double - double with 12 points , eight rebounds and two assists . Myles Turner turned in nine points , nine boards , two assists , four blocks and one steal . C.J . Miles paced the bench with 15 points , three rebounds and one steal . Aaron Brooks was productive as a reserve as well with 11 points , three boards and two assists . Valanciunas supplied a 16 - point , 17 - rebound double - double that also included one assist , two blocks and one steal . Serge Ibaka managed 15 points , 12 boards , two assists and two blocks . DeMarre Carroll registered 12 points , four assists , one rebound and one block . Delon Wright led the second unit with 11 points , six assists and two rebounds . The Pacers next head to Cleveland to take on the Cavaliers on Sunday evening , while the Raptors remain home to take on the Philadelphia 76ers on that same evening .


The Toronto Raptors defeated the Philadelphia 76ers , 113 - 105 , at Air Canada Center on Sunday . Toronto were expected to win this game easily and they did just that in this eight - point win . In fact , Toronto actually rested many of their starters for the entire fourth quarter , as they led by at least six points for the final 15 minutes . The second quarter is where the Raptors separated themselves , as they outscored the Sixers , 31 - 20 . Shooting was the difference in the game , with Toronto shooting 54 percent and Philadelphia hitting just 45 percent of their shots . The Raptors also took care of the interior , outscoring the Sixers , 58 - 42 , in the paint . The Sixers ( 28 - 49 ) have now lost six of their last eight games , as they continue to limp to the finish line . Timothe Luwawu-Cabbarot led Philly , as he tallied 23 points and three rebounds . T.J. McConnell accrued four points , six rebounds and 11 assists . Dario Saric amassed 16 points and three rebounds . Nik Stauskas was a nice spark off the bench , producing 14 points and four assists . On deck for Philly is a home matchup versus the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday , The Raptors ( 47 - 30 ) are 8 - 1 across their last nine games , with the one - seed in the east now being in reach . Serge Ibaka had one of his best games in a Raptors uniform , collecting 24 points , six rebounds and six blocks on 11 - of - 17 shooting . DeMar DeRozan finished with 17 points and nine assists . Cory Joseph got another start and provided nine points , five rebounds and six assists . Jonas Valanciunas totaled 14 points , eight rebounds and two steals on 7 - of - 9 from the field . Delon Wright had a nice game off the bench , accumulating four points , five assists and four steals . Toronto will look to keep rolling on Tuesday in a road matchup against the Indiana Pacers .


The Toronto Raptors defeated the Miami Heat , 96 - 94 , at Air Canada Centre on Friday night . The Raptors ( 49 - 31 ) came in with a playoff berth assured but also seeking to stay locked into the third seed in the Eastern Conference . Meanwhile , the Heat 's ( 38 - 41 ) postseason aspirations were in a much more precarious position , as they came into the night hanging on to the seventh seed by a thread . As it turned out , the team with a bit less to lose played with more urgency , as Toronto jumped out to a 26 - 19 first - quarter lead . Miami did battle back throughout the second and third quarters , setting up a pivotal final 12 minutes . However , the Raptors did just enough to keep the Heat at bay , taking a 94 - 88 lead with 25 seconds left after a DeMar DeRozan basket . Wayne Ellington gave the visitors hope with a three - pointer , but a pair of DeRozan three - pointers with four seconds remaining gave the home squad a commanding 96 - 91 advantage . James Johnson led the way against his former teammates with 22 points , 10 rebounds , three assists , three steals and two blocks . Goran Dragic followed with 18 points , one rebound , one assist and one steal . Hassan Whiteside posted a 12 - point , 10 - rebound double - double that also included two assists . Ellington matched Whiteside 's scoring total off the bench and added one rebound , one assist and one steal . Josh Richardson totaled 10 points , four assists , two rebounds , three steals and one block . Rodney McGruder filled out the stat sheet with nine points , five rebounds and two assists . DeRozan paced Toronto with a game - high 38 points , which he supplemented with six boards , two assists , one steal and one block . Cory Joseph followed as a distant second with a bench - leading 14 points , along with four boards , three assists and three steals . Kyle Lowry filled out the stat sheet with 12 points , seven rebounds , six assists and two steals . Serge Ibaka had a near double - double with 11 points , nine rebounds and one block . Jonas Valanciunas mustered a modest nine points but hauled in 10 boards . The Heat next head to the Nation 's Capital to do battle with the Washington Wizards on Saturday evening , while the Raptors head to New York to tangle with the Knicks on Sunday afternoon .


The benches for both the Dallas Mavericks and the Houston Rockets were instrumental in keeping both teams in the game , but no one player finished with any astronomical numbers , save for J.J. Barea . Barea chimed in with 18 points , five assists and three rebounds , and included a strong 75 percent shooting from behind the arc . The rest of the Mavericks bench attack was led by Justin Anderson and Dwight Powell , who combined for 15 points and five boards . The Rockets spread their bench out with most of the rotation seeing around 15 minutes of play . Nene Hilario added 11 points to counteract Clint Capela 's four points but was less effective on the boards . Second-year Wisconsin product Sam Dekker went 3 - of - 3 from deep and added nine points in minutes of action in the winning effort .

The Houston Rockets defeated the Dallas Mavericks 93 - 92 at Toyota Center on Sunday . The Rockets ( 2 - 1 ) maintained a lead throughout most of the Western Conference clash with the Mavericks ( 0 - 3 ) , which included a 10 point lead at the half . Drama ensued down the stretch , started by Wesley Matthews , who was able to cap of a 70 run with back - to - back baskets , which cut the Rockets ' lead to two points with 3:2 remaining in the fourth quarter . Matthews ' heads up defense forced a turnover on Harden and transitioned the impressive scoring effort to give Dallas a chance to grab its first win of the season . Matthews continued to put the team on his shoulders after draining a 27 - foot three pointer to tie the game at 92 with four seconds left in the game , but he also committed a shooting foul on James Harden 's ensuing drive to the hoop with just one - tenth of a second left to play . Harden missed the first free throw but sank the second and that was all that needed to ice the game for Houston . Harden went on to put up star numbers again , scoring 28 points to go along with seven rebounds and seven assists . Eric Gordon and Ryan Anderson joined Harden in double figures with 14 points each , while Clint Capela was strong on the glass , totaling 10 rebounds . Wes Matthews struggled from behind - the - arc , but not when it mattered most for Dallas . Matthews finished with 25 points , five boards and three assists on 9 - of - 25 shooting ( 3 - of - 15 from three ) . Harrison Barnes started 3 - of - 5 from the field but ended up missing his next six attempts on his way to a lowly 10 points in 38 minutes of action . The Rockets will head to Cleveland to visit the reigning champion Cavaliers on Tuesday , while the Mavericks will visit the Utah Jazz on Wednesday .


The San Antonio Spurs defeated the host Houston Rockets 106 - 100 at Toyota Center on Saturday . In a rematch from earlier this week , the Spurs avenged a rare home loss by beating the Rockets here in their home building . San Antonio played very efficiently , as they shot 41 - of - 76 to go 54 percent from the field , while the Rockets went just 34 - of - 89 to shoot 38 percent from the field . Houston lived beyond the arc , as they went 15 - of - 47 from three - point range in the defeat . That led to San Antonio dominating in the paint , as they won that battle 48 - 34 . The Spurs ( 7 - 3 ) are now 50 on the road this season and they continue to win with elite defense . Kawhi Leonard led the team in scoring , dropping 20 points on 9 - of - 16 shooting . LaMarcus Aldridge recorded a double - double , totaling 16 points , 10 rebounds and three blocks . Pau Gasol built off his best game of the year on Friday , by accumulating 15 points , seven rebounds and six assists . Tony Parker had his best game all season as well , scoring 16 points on 6 - of - 9 shooting . The Spurs will host the Miami Heat on Monday for their next game . The Rockets ( 5 - 4 ) planned to win this game through pace , but it led to some inefficiencies on the offensive end . While they took 13 more shots than the Spurs , they made seven less baskets . James Harden added to his MVP-type numbers though , as he tallied 25 points , 11 rebounds and 13 assists en route to a triple - double . Eric Gordon led the team in scoring , dropping 27 points on 10 - of - 16 shooting off the bench . Clint Capela totaled 12 points and 10 rebounds of his own . Ryan Anderson struggled mightily , as he scored six points on 1 - of - 13 shooting . Houston returns to action on Monday in a favorable home matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers .

While the Rockets took 13 more shots than the Spurs , they made seven less baskets . That led to San Antonio shooting over 50 percent and Houston shooting under 40 percent . Three-point shooting is the only reason Houston hung around , as they went 15 - of - 47 in the loss . Pau Gasol and Tony Parker have really struggled this season , but they stepped up here . In fact , they both scored in double figures together for the first time all season . While Leonard recorded just two rebounds and no assists , he led the team with 20 points scored in the victory . James Harden 's 25 points , 11 rebounds and 13 assists added to his already ridiculous averages of 31 points , 8 rebounds and 13 assists per game . Ryan Anderson had a historically bad game , going just 1 - of - 13 from the field , en route to a six - point , eight - rebound line . Eric Gordon 's 27 points off the bench marks a season - high . There were just two ties and two lead changes , as the Spurs led for nearly the entirety of the game .


Joel Embiid continues to be the lone bright spot for the one - win Philadelphia 76ers and is putting up terrific numbers during his 24 - minute restriction through 10 games . Embiid 's six turnovers should not be of much concern , given his ability to grab 10 rebounds and 13 points in just 23 minutes of action , on top of his 6 - of - 10 shooting . The efficiency down low , defensive prowess ( Embiid added two blocks and a steal ) , in addition to his three point shooting ability , make the Kansas product a matchup nightmare for every power forward or center in the league . The foot does not look to be of any concern so far , and head coach Brett Brown has claimed that the young star could see a minutes increase around Christmas . Seems like a great gift for the potential rookie of the year .

The Houston Rockets defeated the Philadelphia 76ers , 115 - 88 , at Wells Fargo Center on Monday . James Harden had no problem leading the Rockets ( 6 - 4 ) past the 76ers ( 1 - 9 ) on the road . The de facto leader of the Rockets commanded the floor and spread the court to his liking against a big man heavy Philadelphia squad . Houston took a 12 - point lead at the end of the first quarter and simply expanded on it , all the way up to as much as 30 points late in the second half . Philadelphia only managed eight points from halfway through the third quarter to the end of that period , which put the game completely out of reach . The bright spot for the 76ers continues to come from Joel Embiid , who played well over his 23 minutes , save for the six turnovers during that span . Embiid went on to score 13 points , grabbed 10 rebounds , blocked two shots and added one steal on 6 - of - 10 shooting . Harden led the way for Houston with 33 points , nine assists and seven rebounds on 12 - of - 20 shooting , including four three - pointers . Eric Gordon and Trevor Ariza combined for 33 points to aid Harden in the blowout . Both teams play on Wednesday , as the Rockets visit the Oklahoma City Thunder , while the 76ers host the Washington Wizards .


The Houston Rockets defeated the visiting Portland Trail Blazers , 126 - 109 , in a high - scoring affair on Thursday evening at Toyota Center . James Harden and the Rockets ( 7 - 5 ) certainly did not let Wednesday 's loss to the Thunder , or the fact that they were playing on the second night of a back - to - back , shake them off their game . Instead , they came out guns - blazing , with a 41 - point first quarter and although they slipped a little in the second , came out of halftime cooking with a 38 - point third quarter . Harden notched his third triple - double of the season , with 26 points , 14 assists and 12 rebounds , in 32 minutes . Meanwhile , Patrick Beverley made his season - debut for Houston , after missing time due to knee surgery . Beverley was featured in Coach Mike D'Antoni 's starting lineup and finished with 11 points , three assists , three blocks and two rebounds , in 25 minutes . The Rockets will have a day off before they host the Jazz on Saturday . The Trail Blazers ( 7 - 6 ) have now lost two games in a row by a combined total of 42 points . Defense has certainly been a problem for Portland as it came into this game averaging 111 points - against this season , the second - worst in the league . The Blazers were out - hustled in this one , giving up 17 offensive rebounds and 25 fast - break points . This was only the third time this season that Damian Lillard did not lead his team in scoring . Lillard finished with 18 points , while C.J . McCollum was the high - point man with 26 . The Trail Blazers had four players score in double figures and nine players score five or more points , but once again their defense let them down . The Blazers will face the second night of a back - to - back as they visit New Orleans to play the Pelicans on Friday .

James Harden dominated the box score with his third triple - double of the season , consisting of 26 points , on 7 - of - 17 shooting , 14 assists , 12 rebounds and three steals , in 32 minutes of action . Patrick Beverley notched 11 points on 5 - of - 8 shooting , along with three assists , two rebounds and three blocks in 25 minutes during his season - debut . The Rockets tallied 25 fast break points and shot 14 - of - 32 from long range as their offense clicked on all cylinders . They also pulled down 17 offensive rebounds . Eric Gordon chipped in 16 points on 6 - of - 15 shooting , five rebounds and three assists in 24 minutes off the bench . The Blazers were led by C.J . McCollum , who finished with 26 points on 11 - of - 19 shooting , in 35 minutes . Damian Lillard was relatively quiet , with 18 points , five rebounds and five assists . Maurice Harkless finished with 19 points on 8 - of - 12 shooting , along with six rebounds . Portland was out - scored 56 - 48 in the paint .


Rodney Hood 's 25 - point outburst , his best scoring total since the opener , led the way for the Jazz . Trey Lyles drew another start in place of Derrick Favors ( knee ) and contributed 21 points and five boards . Rudy Gobert put together a 12 - point , 14 - rebound double - double within the starting five as well , and the Jazz actually posted impressive 51 and 44 percent success rates from the field and three - point range , respectively , despite the defeat . Harden 's 31 - point , 10 - assist double - double , which paced the Rockets , was his ninth in the last 10 games . Clint Capela posted a season - high 20 points as well on 10 - of - 19 shooting . No other member of the starting five was able to tally double - digit scoring , but Eric Gordon and Nene Hilario combined for 36 points on 13 - of - 25 shooting off the bench , and also contributed 13 rebounds .

The Houston Rockets defeated the Utah Jazz , 111 - 102 , on Saturday at Toyota Center . Despite the return of Patrick Beverly to the starting lineup , Eric Gordon is still finding ways to contribute . The veteran guard tallied a robust 37 minutes off the bench Saturday , parlaying them into a line of 20 points , seven rebounds , six assists and two steals . The minutes were actually the second - highest of the season for Gordon , while his scoring total marked only his third time over the 20 - point mark on the campaign . He impressively drained half of his eight three - point attempts to share the team lead with James Harden , helping the Rockets ( 8 - 5 ) to their fourth home win in five tries . The Jazz ( 7 - 7 ) were led by a 25 - point outburst from Rodney Hood , his best scoring total since the opener . He also added four rebounds and three assists . Trey Lyles drew another start in place of Derrick Favors ( knee ) , posting 21 points and five boards . Rudy Gobert put together a 12 - point , 14 - rebound double - double that also included an assist , four blocks and two steals . Dante Exum was in the first unit again in George Hill 's ( thumb ) stead , supplying 10 points , a rebound and an assist . Harden paced the Rockets with a 31 - point , 10 - assist double - double , his ninth in the last 10 games . The Beard also provided three rebounds and two blocks . Clint Capela was next in line with 20 points , eight rebounds , five assists and a block , with his scoring total representing a season high . No other member of the starting five was able to tally double - digit scoring , but Nene Hilario joined Gordon in accomplishing the feat off the bench , registering 16 points , six boards and a steal . The Jazz continue on the road to Denver , where they 'll take on the Nuggets on Sunday evening , while the Rockets head to Detroit to take on the Pistons on Monday night .


James Harden has been seen as a legitimate MVP candidate in this young NBA season with his ability to stuff the stat sheet with points , assists and rebounds . He has , however , also managed to stuff it with turnovers as of late , especially when his assist number is high . In his last three games with at least 15 assists - - one of which happened in Wednesday night 's loss - - Harden has also posted at least eight turnovers . The 12 turnovers he had Wednesday was his season high and the first time he reached double - digit turnovers this season . For the Raptors , their MVP candidate DeMar DeRozan had another strong , 24 - point performance , but did n't come as easy as the box score may indicate . An astonishing 21 of of his 24 points came in the third quarter Wednesday night , as he managed to score 11 straight points for Toronto at one point in the period . He 's managed to keep his scoring average above 30 points , now at 31 points per game after Wednesday 's performance .

The Toronto Raptors defeated the Houston Rockets 115 - 102 at Toyota Center on Wednesday . It was a wire - to - wire victory for the Raptors ( 9 - 6 ) , who ended their two - game slide Wednesday night on the road . While he did n't reach his scoring average on the season , DeMar DeRozan still led the way with 24 points , nine assists and five rebounds in 36 minutes , with DeMarre Carroll managing to score 20 points of his own on 9 - of - 14 shooting . Jonas Valanciunas added a double - double of 15 points and 16 rebounds in what was a great night for the Toronto starting lineup , who scored 78 of the team 's 115 points . As a team , the Raptors shot a scorching 12 - of - 23 ( 52 percent ) from behind the arc . For the Rockets ( 9 - 6 ) , it was James Harden , as usual , leading the way with 29 points , 15 assists and six rebounds in 41 minutes . He was , however , a bit careless with the basketball , managing 12 turnovers and nearly matching the Raptors ' team total of 14 . As a team , the Rockets had an astonishing 26 turnovers , which led to plenty of empty possessions that ultimately left them with little chance to win Wednesday 's contest . On the bright side , each of the five Houston starters scored in double figures , but Ryan Andersen had the next highest total behind Harden with just 13 points . Up next , the Raptors will head to Milwaukee on Friday to take on the Bucks , while the Rockets will travel Friday to Sacramento and play the Kings .


James Harden scored 37 points on a ridiculous 18 - of - 18 from the free - throw line in the Rockets ' win over the Celtics Monday . Amidst MVP chants from his home crowd , the league 's fourth - leading scorer dropped 37 points , eight rebounds , and eight assists . That was n't to say Harden was n't bothered by Boston 's tough defense , however . Harden had 10 turnovers on the night , exceeding his assist total and putting him ahead of Russell Westbrook for the highest average in the league . Sixth man Eric Gordon , who left the game late with what appeared to be an ankle sprain , scored 19 points and made four three - pointers . As a whole , Houston hit 12 threes , continuing their dominance from beyond the arc . For Boston , a nagging injury appeared to hobble All-Star guard Isaiah Thomas , who shot just 7 - of - 18 from the field . Center Al Horford led the team with 21 points to go along with six rebounds and nine assists . Guard Avery Bradley had 16 points and a team - high 10 rebounds , but had his first game of the season without a three - pointer made .

The host Houston Rockets defeated the visiting Boston Celtics , 107 - 106 , on Monday . Houston ( 14 - 7 ) saw a major advantage at the free - throw line , shooting 31 foul shots as a team . All-Star James Harden shot a perfect 18 - of - 18 at the line en route to a team - high 37 points . Houston led by as much as 12 early in the game but held a double - digit deficit at points in the fourth quarter . The Rockets were able to shoot their way back into a nail - biter , as the game was decided by a missed layup from Boston 's Al Horford at the buzzer . Houston hit 12 three - pointers on the night , helping to maintain the its average as the top three - point shooting team in the league . Boston ( 12 - 9 ) , meanwhile , struggled early in the game , allowing Houston to take a double - digit lead in the first quarter . The Celtics were able to turn the game around with a 19 - 2 run early in the third , eventually gaining the lead . However , Houston 's three - point shooting ended up costing the team down the stretch . All-Star point guard Isaiah Thomas suffered what appeared to be a groin injury in the first half , but remained on the floor and finished the game . Thomas did see a dip below his normal production as a result , however , as he shot just 7 - of - 18 for 20 points . Center Al Horford , meanwhile , scored 21 points and dished nine assists despite ultimately missing the game - winner . The Celtics will visit Orlando on Wednesday , while Houston will host the Lakers .


Wednesday night 's showdown in Houston ended up being all about each team 's sixth man , as each led their respective teams in scoring and have been playing their best basketball as of late . For the Rockets , Eric Gordon , who became a reserve upon the return of Patrick Beverley , led the way with an efficient 26 points in 24 minutes on 9 - of - 13 shooting from the field . In his last six games , Gordon is averaging 23 points per game while shooting an impressive 53 percent from the field overall . On the other side of the court , Lou Williams continues to make a run at the league 's Sixth Man of the Year Award , but he has been playing his best basketball in the month of December . After scoring a team - high 24 points Wednesday night , Williams is averaging an incredible 34 points over his last three games and has been the leader behind a Los Angeles bench unit that ranks as one of the best in the league so far this season .

The Houston Rockets dominated the Los Angeles Lakers 134 - 95 Wednesday at Target Center . This game appeared to be over after the first quarter , as the Lakers ' ( 10 - 14 ) leaky defense had no answered for the Rockets ' ( 15 - 7 ) high - powered offensive attack , as Houston won the quarter 43 - 27 . And while Los Angeles managed to pull closer before halftime , the Rockets absolutely poured it on in the second half . Houston was led by shooting guard Eric Gordon , who has really adjusted to his new role off the bench , as he scored a game - high 26 points in just 24 minutes on a scorching 9 - of - 13 from the field . Early MVP-candidate James Harden was not too far behind , scoring 25 points on top of eight rebounds , six assists and four steals . To round off a terrific performance from the Rockets ' backcourt players , Patrick Beverley put together his best performance since returning from injury , recording 10 points , 12 assists , seven rebounds and three steals in 32 minutes . As a team , the Rockets made a living at the 3 - point line , shooting an impressive 15 - of - 36 from long range . For the Lakers , it was a night to forget , as the team shot a dreadful 39 percent from the field and 25 percent from behind the arc . Julius Randle led the way with a double - double of 21 points and 10 rebounds in 29 minutes , while Lou Williams continued to campaign for a Sixth Man of the Year award , posting an efficient 24 points in 25 minutes . Meanwhile , Jordan Clarkson made his first start at point guard this season and posted a lowly seven points on just 3 - of - 13 shooting from the field . Up next , the Rockets will head to Oklahoma City on Friday to take on the Thunder , while the Lakers will head home Friday to play the Suns .


The Houston Rockets defeated the Dallas Mavericks , 109 - 87 , at Toyota Center on Saturday . This was a lopsided matchup on paper headed in and the Rockets left no doubt who the better team was . They got it done with a surprising recipe though , as they rode their defense to a win . In fact , they held Dallas to 40 percent from the field and 32 percent from three - point range . In addition , Houston won the rebounding battle , 48 - 32 . Ball movement was a huge factor for the Rockets as well , recording 31 assists on 37 made baskets . Houston shot 50 percent from the field and 51 percent from three - point range . Dallas ( 5 - 18 ) has had a rough season and this loss just adds to those struggles . Wesley Matthews continues to revive his career though , as he led the team with 26 points , three rebounds and two assists . Harrison Barnes was second on the team , with 20 points on 7 - of - 13 shooting . Dwight Powell had a nice game off the bench , accruing eight points , six rebounds , two assists and two steals on a perfect 4 - of - 4 shooting . On deck for the Mavericks is a home matchup against the Denver Nuggets on Monday . Houston ( 17 - 7 ) was expected to win this game fairly easily and they did just that by never trailing after the first five minutes . James Harden was once again the catalyst , as he tallied 18 points , nine rebounds and 16 assists , despite taking just 12 shots and making just four of them . Trevor Ariza provided 17 points and seven rebounds on 6 - of - 11 shooting . Clint Capela recorded another double - double , totaling 13 points and 10 boards . Eric Gordon was once again productive off the bench , scoring 18 points and handing out three assists . Houston has another favorable matchup for their next game , as they host the defensively - inept Brooklyn Nets on Monday .

Houston was expected to win this game easily and they did just that , as they never trailed after the first five minutes . In fact , the Rockets won all four quarters en route to their 22 - point win . Defense was key , as they held Dallas to 40 percent shooting and won the rebounding differential , 48 - 32 . The most impressive stat was the ball movement , as the Rockets assisted on 31 of their 37 made baskets . James Harden was the main reason for that , as he tallied 18 points , nine rebounds and 16 assists in the win . Clint Capela recorded another double - double , totaling 13 points and 10 rebounds . Trevor Ariza and Patrick Beverley each grabbed seven boards , as Ariza scored 17 points and Beverley added 15 of his own . Wesley Matthews and Harrison Barnes were the only Mavericks to play well , as Matthews scored a game - high 26 points and Barnes provided 20 .


The host Houston Rockets narrowly took down the visiting Brooklyn Nets on Monday , 122 - 118 . Houston ( 18 - 7 ) is one of the league 's hottest teams , having won 12 of its last 14 contests . On Monday , the struggling Nets gave the Rockets a surprising run for their money ; however , superstar James Harden was able to shoulder the load en route to victory . Harden scored 36 points and had eight rebounds and 11 assists as he led the Rockets offense to 17 three - pointers and 46 percent shooting . It was an uncharacteristically poor night for him at the line , however , as he shot just 8 - of - 12 on free - throw attempts . This seemed to be a theme for the entire team on Monday , as the Rockets hit only 58 percent from the line . Brooklyn ( 6 - 17 ) , meanwhile , finds itself in the opposite situation of Houston , having lost 12 of its last 14 games . The Nets have struggled mightily since an unexpectedly hot start in the season 's opening week , though the team did see a positive in Houston as guard Jeremy Lin was able to play for the first time after suffering a hamstring injury earlier in the season . Lin saw 20 minutes of play time and had 10 points and seven assists . The Nets shot over 52 percent from the field as a team , but had turnover issues , committing 19 by the game 's end . Big man Brook Lopez led the team in scoring with 26 . The Nets will host the Lakers on Wednesday while the Rockets will host the Kings .

Houston 's James Harden has been phenomenal as the Rockets have surged to third in the Western Conference , and the All-Star guard does not seem to be letting up . On Monday , Harden scored 36 points to go along with eight rebounds and 11 assists . The 36 points were despite his shooting just 8 - of - 12 from the line on the night , a sub - standard mark for the career 85 percent free - throw shooter . It was an off night for the team as a whole , as Houston hit just 58 percent of its free - throw attempts . Sixth man Eric Gordon , meanwhile , continued to shoot three - pointers at a historic rate . Gordon had 24 points and knocked down 6 - of - 10 attempts from beyond the arc . For Brooklyn , point guard Jeremy Lin came off the bench to score 10 points and had seven assists in his first game back from a hamstring injury . Brooklyn shot a whopping 52 percent as a team but hit only seven three - pointers and had 19 turnovers . Big man Brook Lopez led the team with 26 points .


The Houston Rockets defeated the Sacramento Kings , 132 - 98 , Wednesday at Toyota Center . The Rockets ( 19 - 7 ) made sure this one was over fast as they cruised to their eighth straight victory and continue to be the hottest team in the NBA . Wednesday ended up being a breeze for Houston against a Kings team without DeMarcus Cousins ( rest ) and Rudy Gay ( hip ) , as MVP-candidate James Harden posted a triple - double of 15 points , 14 assists and 11 rebounds in 30 minutes . Ryan Anderson scored 22 points of his own , while Sam Dekker shined off the bench , scoring a career - high 19 points in just 22 minutes . Each other Rocket starter scored in double figures as the team shot a scorching 59 percent from the field and dished out 40 total assists . For the Kings ( 9 - 16 ) , things did n't go nearly as smooth without their two best players , as the team they put out on the floor could not keep up with the fast - paced Rockets . Garrett Temple got a spot start and scored a team - high 20 points in 30 minutes , while the next highest scoring total for Sacramento was Anthony Tolliver 's 12 points on top of his 10 assists . The Kings struggled shooting from the field , managing to shoot just 42 percent overall , and they only managed to shoot 11 total free throws on the night . To make matters worse , the Kings have now lost six of their last eight games and the organization has little reason to be optimistic going forward . Up next , the Rockets will look to stay hot when they play the Pelicans in Houston on Friday , while the Kings will travel to Memphis on Friday to take on a surging Grizzlies team .

Houston 's 16 turnovers per game is one of the highest marks in the NBA this year , but they have been so effective with their ball movement and assist numbers that it has n't really mattered . Wednesday 's team performance was the perfect example . As a team , the Rockets had 16 turnovers against Sacramento , a number that lines up with their 16 per game average . However , they also managed an unbelievable 40 assists as a team , a mark that is 15 points over their average of 25 per game and an entire nine assists higher than the Warrior 's league - leading 31 per game . So , while Houston does have the fifth highest turnovers per game in the NBA this season , they happen to be ranked 15th in the assist to turnover ratio , making their fast - paced play and mistakes that come along with it completely worth it .


James Harden notched his 15th triple - double to pass Hakeem Olajuwon to become the Rockets ' all - time triple - double leader . Harden finished with 29 points on 7 - of - 15 shooting , including 6 - of - 12 from deep and 9 - of - 11 from the foul line , along with 13 assists and 11 rebounds , in 34 minutes . Eric Gordon poured in a season - high 29 points on 10 - of - 17 shooting , including 7 - of - 12 from long range , in 28 minutes off the bench . Trevor Ariza chipped in 20 points , five rebounds , three steals and one assist , in 30 minutes . Anthony Davis was the high - point man for the Pelicans , with 19 points , on 9 - of - 17 shooting , in 23 minutes before leaving the game in the third quarter with a leg contusion . Terrence Jones chipped in 16 points on 7 - of - 14 shooting , along with eight rebounds , in 29 minutes off the bench . Buddy Hield had another solid game with 11 points and five rebounds , in 26 minutes .

The Houston Rockets notched their ninth straight win as they defeated the New Orleans Pelicans , 122 - 100 , at Toyota Center on Friday night . The Rockets made history in a couple of different ways in this contest , beginning with their nine - game win streak , which is their longest win streak in eight years . They also sank an NBA-record 24 three - pointers , while James Harden passed Hakeem Olajuwon , to become the Rockets ' all time triple - double leader , as he notched his second straight triple - double , for the fifteenth of his career . Harden finished with 29 points on 7 - of - 15 shooting , along with 13 assists and 11 rebounds , in 34 minutes . Meanwhile , Eric Gordon notched a season - high 29 points on 10 - of - 17 shooting , including 7 - of - 12 from deep , in 28 minutes off the bench . The Rockets ( 20 - 7 ) shot 24 - of - 61 from long distance and tallied 27 assists in the game . They moved to 10 - 2 at home and will head out to Minnesota to take - on the Timberwolves on Saturday , for their second game in as many nights . The Pelicans ( 9 - 19 ) fell short on the second night of a back - to - back as they struggled shooting , going 41 percent from the field , 33 percent from long range and only 55 percent from the foul line . Anthony Davis scored 19 points before he was forced to leave the game in the third quarter with a leg contusion , and did not return . No player tallied more than 20 points for the Pelicans but five players scored in double figures , including Cheick Diallo who went 4 - of - 5 from the field , for 10 points , along with seven rebounds , in 22 minutes off the bench . The Pelicans fell to 3 - 10 on the road and will look to bounce back as they visit San Antonio on Sunday .


For the Rockets top two scorers , MVP-candidate James Harden and Sixth Man of the Year-candidate Eric Gordon , it was an uncharacteristically bad shooting night . In fact , for both , in their own regard , it was their worst of the season . For Harden , it was his 3 - point shooting performance that was his worst of the season , as his nine percent ( 1 - of - 11 ) mark from long range beat out his previous worst of 2 - of - 11 ( 18 percent ) from deep . Meanwhile , Eric Gordon came off the bench Tuesday to not only shoot a season - worst 4 - of - 15 ( 26 percent ) from the field overall , but also managed to hit just 1 - of - 8 shots from behind the arc - - his worst percentage of the season when making at least one 3 - point attempt . The shooting performances from the backcourt were contagious in the end , as the Rockets finished the game making just six of their 38 attempts from long range .

The San Antonio Spurs defeated the Houston Rockets 102 - 100 Tuesday at Toyota Center . The Spurs ( 23 - 5 ) entered the fourth quarter down seven points after the Rockets ( 21 - 8 ) put together a dominant performance in the third period to take the lead . But San Antonio , being the road warriors they are , managed to extend their record away from home to 15 - 1 thanks to a game - winning Patty Mills jumper with just 12 seconds left . Eric Gordon and James Harden both had their shot at game - winners after that , but failed to convert on their home floor . Mills finished with 13 points off the bench for the Spurs , but it was Kawhi Leonard who once again led the way for his team , scoring a team - high 21 points on top of five rebounds , four assists and five steals . LaMarcus Aldridge added a double - double of 17 points and 10 rebounds . For the Rockets , Tuesday 's defeat put an end to their 10 - game win streak , but , for the team being , they remain in third place in the Western Conference standings . James Harden led the way for Houston with 31 points , 10 rebounds and seven assists , but he shot just 10 - of - 26 from the field and 1 - of - 11 from behind the arc . And that cold streak from 3 - point range was contagious , as the team as a whole shot a miserable 6 - of - 38 ( 16 percent ) from long range after being nearly unstoppable from behind the arc over their win streak . Up next , the Spurs will look to continue their winning ways on the road Thursday when they take on the Clippers , while the Rockets look to get back on track Wednesday in Phoenix .


The Rockets have the league 's second highest - scoring offense , and showcased their ability to find the bucket on Monday . Six Rockets scored in double figures and the team shot 50 percent with 15 three - pointers en route to the blowout win . Of course , the lead on offense came from point guard James Harden , who scored 32 points on 9 - of - 18 shooting and dished out 12 assists . Harden is the league leader in assists while also ranking fifth in scoring . Eric Gordon hit three three - pointers off the bench and now ranks just one three - pointer made behind Steph Curry for the league lead . Phoenix , meanwhile , saw struggles on offense , shooting just 42 percent and 23 percent from three . Point guard Eric Bledsoe , however , did not struggle , scoring 24 points along with six rebounds and four assists . Bledsoe is the Suns ' leading scorer at over 20 points per game .

The Houston Rockets defeated the visiting Phoenix Suns on Monday , 131 - 115 . Houston ( 23 - 9 ) has surprised many by holding the third - best record in the Western Conference over a third of the way through the season . On Monday , the Rockets looked as strong as ever , due in large part to the strong play of superstar James Harden . Harden predictably took over the game , scoring 32 points and dishing out 12 assists , both team highs . Sixth man Eric Gordon , meanwhile , continued to be a key part of the Rockets ' newfound high - paced offensive attack . Gordon had 15 points and hit three three - pointers . As a team , the Rockets had 15 three - pointers and shot an impressive 50 percent from the field . Phoenix ( 9 - 22 ) , on the other hand , sits near the bottom of the Western Conference for the second straight season . The Suns have won just three of their last eight contests . On Monday , Phoenix started the game off by accumulating a huge deficit , trailing 39 - 23 by the end of the first quarter . Point guard Eric Bledsoe , however , continued to impress , scoring 24 points to go with six rebounds and four assists . The Rockets will visit Dallas on Tuesday , while the Suns will travel to San Antonio on Wednesday .


Houston have been doing special things on offense this season , but their 140 points in this win marks a season - high . They did that damage by hitting 56 percent of their shots and going 36 - of - 43 from the free - throw line . In addition , Houston dominated the rebounding and assisting differentials on their way to an easy win . James Harden added another triple - double to his tally , as he led the team with 30 points , 13 rebounds and 10 assists on 10 - of - 15 shooting . Montrezl Harrell came off the bench to drop a career - high 29 points on 10 - of - 14 shooting . Trevor Ariza accumulated 18 points , four rebounds and seven assists . Raymond Felton did all he could , as he led the Clippers with 26 points , five rebounds and eight assists off the bench . DeAndre Jordan played motivated in his homecoming game , totaling 20 points and 13 rebounds on 9 - of - 11 shooting ..

The Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Houston Rockets , 140 - 116 , at Toyota Center on Friday . These are two teams going in opposite directions right now , as the Rockets put it to the Clippers in this blowout win . Not only did they score at least 32 points in every quarter , they shot 56 percent from the field against one of the best defenses in the NBA . The Rockets did have a 26 - point lead that was brought down to six in the fourth quarter , but they responded with a 160 run to take control late . Houston took advantage of a happy whistle , as they went 36 - of - 43 from the free - throw line , while Los Angles took just 16 free - throw attempts . The Rockets also won the rebounding ( 45 - 38 ) and assisting ( 29 - 22 ) differential by seven a piece , as they never trailed after the first quarter . The Clippers ( 22 - 13 ) had to play this game without Chris Paul and Blake Griffin , as they were simply outmatched against a hot Rockets bunch . The frustration hit the fan too , as Austin Rivers and Doc Rivers were both ejected in the second quarter . Raymond Felton did all he could to keep them hanging around , as he led the team with 26 points , five rebounds and eight assists off the bench . DeAndre Jordan led the starters in his homecoming game , as he totaled 20 points and 13 rebounds on 9 - of - 11 shooting . Jamal Crawford and J.J. Redick struggled , as they combined for 13 points on 5 - of - 19 shooting . Marreese Speights played well off the bench , accruing 15 points and seven rebounds . Los Angeles will look to play better on Saturday , when they play the Oklahoma City Thunder on the road . The Rockets ( 25 - 9 ) have been dominant on offense all season , but this 140 - spot marked their high of the year . James Harden recorded yet another triple - double , as he accumulated 30 points , 13 rebounds , 10 assists and five steals on 10 - of - 15 shooting . Montrezl Harrell was second on the team , as he dropped a career - high 29 points on 10 - of - 14 shooting off the bench . Trevor Ariza collected 18 points , four rebounds and seven assists , while Patrick Beverley provided 15 points , seven rebounds and three assists of his own . Eric Gordon scored 19 points off the bench on 5 - of - 7 shooting . Houston plays again on Saturday , as they host the New York Knicks for their next game .


The Houston Rockets defeated the New York Knicks , 129 - 122 , at Toyota Center on Saturday . This has been the year of the triple - double , but there has n't been a performance like this in quite some time . James Harden accumulated 53 points , 16 rebounds and 17 assists on the way to his best game of his career . His game carried this offense to some gaudy numbers too , as they recorded 30 assists and went 21 - of - 55 from three - point range . There were no ties and only one lead change , as the Rockets never relinquished the lead after the second quarter . New York ( 16 - 17 ) had to play this game extremely shorthanded and they did a good job of hanging around against a potent Houston attack . Kristaps Porzingis sat this game out with an Achilles injury and Carmelo Anthony had to depart early due to renewed knee soreness . That put Brandon Jennings in the starting lineup and he did n't disappoint , as he led the team with 32 points , five rebounds and seven assists . Derrick Rose also played well , accumulating 21 points , five rebounds and seven assists . Joakim Noah recorded a 15 - point , 16 - rebound double - double in the loss . On deck for the Knicks is a home matchup against the Orlando Magic on Monday . Houston ( 26 - 9 ) have gotten some unbelievable performances from James Harden this season , but this one tops them all . Harden finished the game with 53 points , 16 rebounds and 17 assists in the best game of his career . Ryan Anderson helped him get those assists up , as he was second on the team with 25 points and six rebounds on 8 - of - 12 shooting . Montrezl Harrell got a rare start at center and amassed 13 points , four rebounds and four assists on 6 - of - 7 shooting . They 'll look to keep rolling on Monday against the Washington Wizards .

James Harden has posted some ridiculous numbers this season , but nothing compares to his night on Saturday . Harden accumulated 53 points , 16 rebounds and 17 assists in easily the best game of his career . Ryan Anderson was second on the team , as he dropped 25 points and six rebounds on 8 - of - 12 shooting . Montrezl Harrell got a rare start at center and totaled 13 points , four rebounds and four assists on 6 - of - 7 shooting . The Knicks came into this game without Kristaps Porzingis ( achilles ) and they also lost Carmelo Anthony ( knee ) is the second quarter . That meant Derick Rose had to step up and he did , as he tallied 21 points , five rebounds and seven assists in the defeat . Brandon Jennings got a rare start next to Rose , as he led the team with 32 points , five rebounds and seven assists . The Rockets had to ride three - point shooting in this win , as they went 21 - of - 55 from long distance .


The Houston Rockets took down the visiting Washington Wizards on Monday , 101 - 91 . Houston ( 27 - 9 ) may be the league 's hottest team , as the Rockets are now 9 - 2 in their last 11 . Much of the credit for the team 's success is due to All-Star guard James Harden , who has led the league in assists and churned out triple - doubles at a ridiculous rate through the early part of the season . Harden followed a career - best performance against New York on New Year 's Eve with his third straight triple - double on Monday against the Wizards . Despite shooting just 6 - of - 24 , Harden scored 23 points to go with 10 rebounds and 10 assists . Sharpshooting sixth man Eric Gordon , meanwhile , led the team with 31 points off the bench , including six three - pointers . Washington ( 16 - 17 ) had been on a hot streak , going 7 - 3 in its last 10 games before Monday . Point guard John Wall was crowned Eastern Conference Player of the Week for the final week of 2016 , and continued his strong play in Houston . Wall scored 18 points and dished out 12 assists . Shooting guard Bradley Beal led the team with 27 points . However , the Wizards struggled to find their shot from beyond the arc , going just 6 - of - 26 from long - range . The Wizards will travel to Dallas on Tuesday , while the Rockets will host OKC on Thursday .

After a career - defining night on New Year 's Eve , Houston 's James Harden made a splash once again on Monday . Harden recorded his third straight triple - double , scoring 23 points to go with 10 rebounds and 10 assists . It was not Harden 's best outing , however , as the superstar shot just 6 - of - 24 and had six turnovers . Sixth man Eric Gordon , meanwhile , had a team - high 31 points and knocked down six three - pointers . The Rockets as a whole had 12 three - pointers but shot just 43 percent from the field . Washington 's backcourt of John Wall and Bradley Beal impressed on Monday . Wall had a double - double , scoring 18 and dishing out 12 assists . Beal , meanwhile , led the team with 27 points on 9 - of - 18 shooting . The team struggled , however , shooting just 43 percent and only hitting six three - pointers .


It was a superstar showdown in Houston on Thursday , as Russell Westbrook and James Harden squared off for the first time in the new year . Harden led the Rockets to victory , while Westbrook posted more impressive individual numbers . `` The Beard `` led Houston with 26 points and 12 assists , also notching eight rebounds . However , he shot just 6 - of - 16 and made only two three - pointers while committing six turnovers . On the other side , Westbrook poured in 49 points , his second - highest total of the season , while shooting 16 - of - 34 and hitting eight threes . Westbrook added eight rebounds and five assists . Houston shot over 47 percent from the field and made it rain from deep , hitting 15 threes on the night . OKC , on the other hand , shot a slightly inferior 45 percent while hitting only 12 three - pointers . Houston 's Eric Gordon scored 20 points and had five three - pointers , building on his NBA lead in the category .

Two of the league 's better teams squared off on Thursday as the Houston Rockets took down the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder , 118 - 116 . Former teammates and MVP hopefuls James Harden and Russell Westbrook showed down in a battle of the league 's top talent . Houston ( 28 - 9 ) has been one of the league 's hottest teams after a mediocre start . The Rockets won 15 games in the month of December and have seen strong leadership from superstar combo guard James Harden . Harden led the team in both scoring and assists on Thursday , pouring in 26 points to go with 12 assists and eight rebounds . The team saw a strong 27 assists and turned it over just nine times on the night . The Rockets also shot an excellent 48 percent from the field and hit 15 three - pointers . Sixth man Eric Gordon , the league 's leading three - point shooter , had five threes . OKC ( 21 - 16 ) dropped the game despite seeing 49 points from Russell Westbrook . Westbrook shot 16 - of - 34 and had eight three - pointers while playing an integral part in the Thunder 's 33 - 21 fourth quarter that allowed them to remain in the game . The team crashed the boards with tenacity , recording 54 rebounds on the night to Houston 's 43 . However , the Thunder shot a slightly lower 45 percent and had only 12 shots from beyond the arc . The Rockets will visit Orlando on Friday while OKC will host the Nuggets on Saturday .


The Houston Rockets defeated the Charlotte Hornets , 121 - 114 , at Toyota Center on Tuesday . While this scoreline was close , Houston led for nearly the entirety of this game . In fact , Charlotte never led by more than one point , as they held the lead for less than a minute in total . It was a tale of two halves , as the Rockets outscored the Hornets , 67 - 47 , in the first half , with Charlotte responding with a , 67 - 54 , second half . Both teams relied heavily on long distance shooting , as they combined for 36 three - point makes in this shootout . Fastbreak points were the most decisive statistic , with the Rockets winning that battle , 25 - 2 . They also took advantage of the whistle , taking 33 free - throws , while holding Charlotte to just nine free - throw attempts . Charlotte ( 20 - 19 ) had to play this game without Nicolas Batum ( knee ) and they nearly pulled out the upset win . Kemba Walker carried the load , collecting 25 points , six rebounds and 10 assists . Frank Kaminsky was second on the team , as he tallied 22 points and three rebounds off the bench . Marvin Williams provided 16 points and eight rebounds as the starting power forward . Marco Belinelli and Spencer Hawes came off the bench to combine for 31 points , eight rebounds and 10 assists as well . Houston ( 31 - 9 ) has now won 20 of their last 22 games , as they continue to rise in the standings . James Harden recorded yet another triple - double , accumulating 40 points , 15 rebounds and 10 assists . Trevor Ariza was second on the team , accruing 16 points , four rebounds and three assists . Patrick Beverley was the only starter who failed to reach double figures in scoring , but he still contributed eight points , eight rebounds and five assists . Nene Hilario and Corey Brewer combined for 25 points and 10 rebounds to lead the bench .

This looked like a laugher early on , but this shorthanded Charlotte team fought back in the second half to make it a game . In fact , the Rockets led by 20 at the half , as the Hornets fought all the way back to take a lead with a few minutes left . The key difference for Houston was their transition offense , as they won the fastbreak battle , 25 - 2 . The Rockets also took advantage of the whistle , attempting 24 more free - throws than the Hornets . James Harden added another triple - double to his tally , leading the team with 40 points , 15 rebounds and 10 assists . Only seven other players took the court for Houston , but they all scored between five and 16 points . Kemba Walker had to carry the load with Nicolas Batum ( knee ) injured , as he led Charlotte with 25 points , six rebounds and 10 assists . The Hornets bench kept them hanging around , as Spencer Hawes , Marco Belinelli and Frank Kaminsky combined for 53 points , 11 rebounds and 11 assists .


The Memphis Grizzlies defeated the host Houston Rockets , 110 - 105 , at Toyota Center on Friday . In a battle between two of the Western Conference elite , this game was full of swings . Houston actually led by 13 at the half , before the Grizzlies rode a 59 - 41 second half to come back and win . The Rockets were let down by their shooting , as they hit just 40 percent from the field and went 10 - of - 41 from three - point range . Memphis shot very well , as they went 54 percent from the field . Rebounding was a huge factor for the Grizzlies too , winning that battle , 45 - 31 . The Grizzlies ( 25 - 17 ) committed a season - high 22 turnovers in this game , but they were able to prevail with a huge comeback win . Tony Allen was the star , as he led the team with 22 points , adding four rebounds and three assists on 9 - of - 10 from the field . Mike Conley was second on the team , providing 17 points , six rebounds and nine assists . Marc Gasol did commit six turnovers , but accrued 14 points , six rebounds and six assists on 6 - of - 9 from the field . Zach Randolph was huge off the bench , totaling 16 points and 12 rebounds , en route to a double - double . The Rockets ( 31 - 11 ) have now lost two - straight games , which marks their first losing streak of the season . James Harden once again carried the load , as he collected 27 points , three rebounds and nine assists . Eric Gordon was second on the team in scoring , as he dropped 13 points off the bench . Trevor Ariza amassed 12 points and nine rebounds . Ryan Anderson had a game to forget , as he went 1 - of - 8 from three - point range , while failing to record a rebound , an assist or a defensive statistic . Those four players combined to go 7 - of - 30 from three - point range in the defeat .

The Grizzlies and Rockets have been rivals for a few years now and this game had a playoff atmosphere to it . The Rockets took a 13 - point lead headed into the half , but the Grizzlies outscored them by 18 in the second half for a comeback win . Shooting killed Houston , as they hit just 40 percent of their shots and went just 10 - of - 41 from three - point range . Rebounding was a huge factor for the Grizzlies , as they won that battle , 45 - 31 . Tony Allen was the player of the game , as he led Memphis with 22 points , four rebounds and three assists on 9 - of - 10 shooting . Mike Conley provided 17 points , six rebounds and nine assists . Marc Gasol collected 14 points , six rebounds and six assists , despite committing six turnovers . Zach Randolph recorded a 16 - point , 12 - rebound double - double . James Harden was the only Houston player with more than 13 points , as he accumulated 27 , while also adding three rebounds and nine assists .


The Houston Rockets defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 111 - 92 Wednesday at Toyota Center . It was a battle between All-Stars , with James Harden and Giannis Antetokounmpo going head - to - head Wednesday night , with each managing to put on a show . Ultimately , while the Greek Freak made things interesting for a moment , Harden managed to lead an offensive onslaught that helped the Rockets ( 33 - 12 ) pull away in the fourth quarter . Harden finished the game with 38 points , eight assists and and six rebounds in 37 minutes . Meanwhile , Eric Gordon , who was coming off a brutal 3 - of - 17 shooting performance in Tuesday 's loss to the Heat , bounced back in a huge way . The shooting guard finished with 25 points on 9 - of - 20 shooting from the field , which included hitting seven shots from behind the arc . Beyond those two , however , only two other Houston players managed to score in double figures , with Patrick Beverly and Montrezl Harrell each notching 12 points of their own . For the Bucks ( 20 - 21 ) , Antetokounmpo scored a team - high 32 points on top of 11 rebounds , six assists and three blocks as the team dropped below .500 once again . Unfortunately for the Bucks , Wednesday ended up being a one - man show , with the rest of the Bucks ' starters struggling mightily to get the ball in the hoop . While Antetokounmpo went an impressive 13 - of - 20 from the field , the other four starters went just 13 - of - 36 ( 36 percent ) . Overall as a team , Milwaukee managed to shoot just 40 percent from the field and a poor 25 percent from long range in the losing effort . Up next , the Rockets will look to continue their winning ways Friday in a big - time matchup with the Warriors , while the Bucks will look to end their three - game losing streak Friday in Orlando .

James Harden 's January has been off to an unbelievable start . Following his 38 - point , eight - assist , six - rebound performance against Milwaukee on Wednesday night , Harden has posted averages of 30 points , 10 rebounds and 9 rebounds per game through 10 contests so far this month . That has included three 40 - point performances and 5 performances of 30 or more points . Likewise , Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo has continued to be a superstar in the making through the start of the new year . Despite a two - game stretch mid - way through the month where he was dealing with an illness , the Greek Freak has been a model of consistency . Following his 32 - point , 11 - rebound , six - assist performance against Houston , Antetokounmpo now has three double - doubles , two games of 30 - plus points and five games with at least 25 points so far in the month of January .


The Rockets struggled from long range , hitting only 7 - of - 35 , while their usual leader , James Harden went 0 - of - 5 from distance , and finished with only 17 points in 35 minutes . Harden added 11 assists and seven rebounds to his stat line , but also gave up an unhealthy seven turnovers . Clint Capela was the high - point man for the Rockets , with 22 points on 10 - of - 16 shooting , to go along with 12 rebounds , in 21 minutes off the bench . Meanwhile , all five starters scored in double digits for the Warriors , led by Kevin Durant , who had another efficient night . Durant finished with 32 points on 12 - of - 19 shooting , to go along with seven assists , four rebounds , two steals and two blocks , in 34 minutes . Stephen Curry followed up with 24 points and seven assists , in 33 minutes , while Draymond Green added a full line , including 15 points , eight rebounds , seven assists , three blocks and one steal .

The Golden State Warriors defeated the host Houston Rockets 125 - 108 , at Toyota Center on Friday evening . The Warriors won the first three quarters , to take a 20 - point lead into the final frame , where they scored 26 points to make sure they stayed on top . The season series is now even at one a piece , as they Warriors were able to get revenge for the loss the Rockets handed them at Oracle Arena , earlier in the season . This marks the sixth straight win for the Warriors ( 37 - 6 ) , as they remain comfortably at the top of the West . Kevin Durant was the high - point man in the contest , as he finished with 32 points on 12 - of - 19 shooting , in 34 minutes . Golden State 's four other starters also scored in double digits , while Stephen Curry was the next highest contributor , with 24 points , to go along with seven assists , in 33 minutes . Draymond Green filled the stat sheet as he added 15 points , eight rebounds , seven assists , three blocks and one steal , in 33 minutes . The Warriors are 17 - 3 on the road and will look to keep rolling , as they move on to Orlando to face the second game of their current four - game road trip . Meanwhile , the Rockets ( 33 - 13 ) struggled from long range , which for them usually means a loss , considering how many of their shots come from there . They only hit 7 - of - 35 from distance , but still managed to shoot 44 percent from the field overall . James Harden was quiet , finishing with only 17 points , while going 0 - of - 5 from long range . Harden added 11 assists and seven rebounds , but struggled to control the ball , as he gave up seven turnovers . Clint Capela was the high - point man for the Rockets , as he finished with 22 points and 12 rebounds , in 21 minutes off the bench . The Rockets remain comfortably in third place in the West , but will have to get back on track , as they head right out to Memphis , where they face the Grizzlies on Saturday .


The Houston Rockets defeated the Sacramento Kings 105 - 83 Tuesday at Toyota Center . This game was never close , as the Rockets ( 36 - 16 ) jumped out to an early lead and did n't think about giving it up . After what was a dominant second quarter , Houston held a 19 point lead heading into the locker room while the Kings ( 19 - 30 ) , who were playing their eighth road game in 11 days , looked utterly defeated . Ryan Anderson put together one of his best performances of the season in the win , scoring a game - high 25 points and grabbing 11 rebounds in just 27 minutes . Eric Gordon shined off the bench , scoring 17 points on 7 - of - 15 shooting from the field . James Harden , on the other hand , struggled for the second straight game , scoring just 10 points on 3 - of - 9 shooting , but he did record eight assists and seven rebounds in 32 minutes . For the Kings , it was a fairly uninspired performance , and it started with their star big man DeMarcus Cousins . Cousins shot just 5 - of - 16 from the field and recorded 16 points , seven rebounds and five assists in 25 minutes . Cousins ' struggles were contagious , as the team overall shot just 35 percent from the field , 28 percent from behind the arc and a lowly 58 percent from the free throw line . The 83 points scored was the Kings 's lowest total since mid - December , and they have now lost two of their last three games . Up next , the Rockets will remain home Thursday to take on the Hawks , while the Kings will finally return home Friday to play the Suns .

DeMarcus Cousins ' struggles in Tuesday 's game against the Rockets were , in general terms , uncharacteristic of the All-Star center . However , when looking at Cousins ' history following a huge performance , it ends up not being too out of character . Cousins followed up Monday 's monster 46 - point , 15 - rebound performance with a bit of a dud , as he shot just 5 - of - 16 ( 31 percent ) from the field en route to scoring just 16 points . Going back as far as last season , in his last five games where he scored at least 40 points , Cousins followed up with a poor shooting performance the next game . Cousins never shot over 38 percent from the field in any of those five followups and shot as low as 19 percent in one of the outings . Overall , in those five games coming off a 40 - point performance , Cousins shot just 30 - of - 98 ( 31 percent ) from the field .


The Atlanta Hawks defeated the Houston Rockets 113 - 108 Thursday at Toyota Center . With 8:30 left in the fourth quarter and the Rockets ( 36 - 17 ) up 20 , the same seemed all but over , especially with both Paul Millsap and Dennis Schroeder on the bench and not looking to return for the Hawks ( 29 - 21 ) . But then , from there , Houston stopped hitting their shots and Tim Hardaway Jr. refused to miss his . Hardaway went on to score 23 points in the final quarter , outscoring the Rockets 23 - 22 all by himself and willing the Hawks to a much - needed road victory . Hardaway finished with 33 points on 12 - of - 18 shooting from the field , and his performance ended up overshadowing the return to Houston for Dwight Howard , who put together his best performance of the season against his old team , recording 24 points and 23 rebounds in 37 minutes . For the Rockets , everything was going right for them through three quarters , and more importantly , everything was going right for James Harden , who had been going through a bit of a slump as of late . Harden finished with a game - high 41 points , eight rebounds , eight assists and four steals . Clint Capela also put together a nice game down low , scoring 22 points and grabbing nine boards in 31 minutes . Unfortunately for Houston , no lead was safe , and in the end , their poor shooting down the stretch cost them . The team ended up shooting just 38 percent from the field and 26 percent from behind the arc . Up next , the Hawks will head home Saturday to take on the Magic , while the Rockets will look to bounce back Friday against the Bulls .

It was n't the usual cast of characters that carried the Hawks to their comeback victory against the Rockets on Thursday , as Tim Hardaway Jr. , Dwight Howard and rookie DeAndre Bembry all put together season - best performances in the outing . First , the star of the show was Hardaway , who , after putting up 23 points in the fourth quarter , ended up with a career - high 33 points on 12 - of - 18 shooting from the field . Howard , who came into Thursday 's contest recording five double - doubles in his last six games , had his most productive performance of the season , posting 24 points and 23 rebounds in 37 minutes . Lastly , Bembry , who has only occasionally seen quality minutes this season , played 21 minutes and shot 5 - of - 6 from the field en route to scoring a season - high 10 points and grabbing a season - high three rebounds .


James Harden turned in his 34th 40 - point game as a member of the Rockets , as he poured in 42 points , to go along with 12 rebounds and nine assists , to lead Houston to an exciting , comeback win at home . Eric Gordon was the next highest scorer for the Rockets , as he chipped in 21 points on 8 - of - 17 shooting , including 5 - of - 10 from deep . Only two other players scored in double digits for the Rockets , including Clint Capela , who added 14 , and Trevor Ariza , who came up with 10 points , to go along with three steals . Meanwhile , Michael Carter-Williams was the high - point man for the Bulls , with 23 points , to go along with nine rebounds and six assists , in 35 minutes . Taj Gibson followed up with 20 points , six rebounds and three assists , while Dwyane Wade chipped in 19 points to go along with nine rebounds and six assists .

The Houston Rockets defeated the visiting Chicago Bulls , 121 - 117 , in overtime at Toyota Center on Friday evening . The Rockets were trailing by eight points with three minutes left in regulation but surged back to tie it up , thanks to a few major defensive stops , including a couple of steals by Trevor Ariza , and some clutch offense from the likes of James Harden , Eric Gordon and Ariza . The Rockets then owned the overtime period , where they outscored the Bulls 13 - 9 . James Harden led the Rockets ( 37 - 17 ) with 42 points , 12 rebounds and nine assists , in his franchise - high 34th 40 - point game with the Rockets . Three other players scored in double digits for Houston , including Eric Gordon , who came up with 21 points on 8 - of - 17 shooting , in 34 minutes off the bench . Ryan Anderson went scoreless in 33 minutes , as he went 0 - of - 7 from the field . The Rockets shot 16 - of - 43 from deep and struggled from the free throw line , where they hit only 17 - of - 25 . Nonetheless the came out with a huge win , moving to 19 - 6 at home this season . They now have a couple days off , before they play host to the Magic on Tuesday . Meanwhile , the Bulls ( 25 - 26 ) fell apart late in the fourth , after they were leading by eight with five minutes to go . They gave up 17 turnovers in the contest , which came back to bite them , as a couple of those directly led to the Rockets ' comeback . The Bulls were playing without Jimmy Butler who was a last minute scratch due to a heel injury . Michael Carter-Williams was the high - point man for Chicago , as he finished with 23 points , to go along with nine rebounds , six assists and one block , 35 minutes . Dwyane Wade chipped in 19 points , nine rebounds and six assists , while Taj Gibson added 20 points , six rebounds and three assists . The Bulls will look to bounce back , as they go on to visit Sacramento on Monday .


The Houston Rockets defeated the Orlando Magic , 128 - 104 , on Tuesday at Toyota Center . Simply put , this game ended up being a breeze for the Rockets ( 38 - 17 ) , who won their second straight game to improve to 20 - 6 at home this season . James Harden led the way with yet another double - double , recording 25 points and 13 assists , to go along with six rebounds in 36 minutes . Additionally , Trevor Ariza shot his way out of a bad offensive slump , scoring 20 points on 7 - of - 15 shooting in 36 minutes of his own . This put an end to a five - game stretch where Ariza failed to score more than 10 points . As a team , shots from the outside were falling in bunches for Houston on Tuesday , as the team shot an impressive 16 - of - 38 from behind the arc ( 42 percent ) . As for the Magic ( 20 - 34 ) , they did n't have the same kind of success shooting the ball from long range , hitting just 6 - of - 25 from three - point land in the losing effort . Tuesday 's loss marked their second straight since upsetting the Raptors and gives them four losses in their last five games . Serge Ibaka , despite the defeat , did manage to put together one of his best performances of the season so far , scoring 28 points on 13 - of - 20 shooting - - his second highest total this year - - and grabbed eight rebounds in 41 minutes . His running mate in the frontcourt , Nikola Vucevic , also had a monster game down low , recording a double - double of 14 points and 19 rebounds in 30 minutes . Up next , the Rockets will look to keep rolling Thursday against the Hornets , while the Magic will head home Thursday to take on the 76ers .

Before Tuesday night 's game against the Magic , Trevor Ariza had been serving as an offensive liability for the Rockets . Over his previous eight games , he had failed to score in double figures six times and was shooting just 23 percent from the field and 24 percent from behind the arc over the course of those eight games . Against Orlando , however , Ariza found a way to shoot himself completely out of that slump . The wing shot 4 - of - 9 from behind the arc and 7 - of - 15 from the field overall to put in 20 points Tuesday - - his highest scoring total since Jan. 15 . And while Ariza is primarily known for his prowess on the defensive end , if he can consistently hit a high percentage of his jump shots like he did Tuesday night , it only makes the Rockets more dangerous .