HOUSTON (AP) - After winning just 41 games in last year’s disappointing season, the Houston Rockets acknowledged their 50th win on Friday night.
However, they weren’t celebrating it.
“Sixty would be nice,” coach Mike D’Antoni said smiling. “We may celebrate that one. But not 50.”
It’s probably unlikely with just 10 regular-season games left, so for now the Rockets are simply focused on improving before the postseason begins.
James Harden scored 38 points, including eight down the stretch, and tied a career high with 17 assists to help the Rockets pull away for a 117-107 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans.
“We got stops when we needed to, scored when we needed to and put the game away,” Harden said.
The Pelicans had scored seven points in a row, capped by a 3-pointer from DeMarcus Cousins, to cut the lead to two with about two minutes left. Harden scored Houston’s first points in almost 2 1/2 minutes after that on a driving layup to extend the lead. And after a bucket by Cousins on the other end, Harden made three free throws to leave the Rockets up 110-105 with about 90 seconds left.
A 3-pointer by Harden soon after that put it out of reach, and gave the MVP candidate a standing ovation from the home crowd.
Harden, who is having the best season of his career in his first year as the team’s point guard, was asked if he thinks he’s made a case to be named the league’s MVP
“I think so, but I try not to think about it too much,” he said. “I just try to go do my job at a high level and win games and that’s all I can do.”
Anthony Davis had 33 points and 16 rebounds and Cousins added 29 points for the Pelicans, whose three-game winning streak was snapped.
“We played well, but you’re playing against a great team with a great player, arguably the MVP of the league,” Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry said. “He made plays down the stretch and we weren’t able to make them. And that’s what it came down to.”
The Rockets have won eight of the past 10 games against the Pelicans and five straight at home.
Harden got going early, scoring 17 points in the first quarter en route to his fourth straight game with at least 30 points and 10 assists.
New Orleans trailed by six in the fourth quarter when Cousins pushed Patrick Beverley and he fell to the ground before Cousins stepped back and sunk a 3-pointer. No foul was called and Beverley began jawing at the referees, earning a technical foul. But New Orleans missed the foul shot to remain down by three with about nine minutes left.
Cousins tied it with a three-point play with about 8 1/2 minutes left when Houston began a 7-0 run, powered by five points from Beverley. Beverley made a 3-pointer before adding a tip-in layup on the next possession after a missed 3-pointer by Ryan Anderson to make it 97-90.
The Pelicans got within six, but Eric Gordon hit a 3-pointer after that to extend Houston’s lead to 105-96 with 4 1/2 minutes to play.
Davis scored 17 points in the third quarter and the Rockets led 80-79 entering the fourth.
TIP-INS
Pelicans: Cousins made five 3-pointers. … Omer Asik sat out with an illness. … Jrue Holiday had 18 points.
Rockets: Beverley finished with 17 points. … Capela had 10 points and 13 rebounds for his 13th double-double this season. … Nene had 12 points to give him at least 10 points in eight of his last 11 games.
THEY SAID IT
Anderson on his physical defense against Cousins: “He’s such an elite player, but when he gets frustrated that’s when he’s at his worst. So it’s part of the game plan to get DeMarcus frustrated. And the moment he realizes that he’ll be that much better of a player.”
UP NEXT
Pelicans: Visit Denver on Sunday.
Rockets: Host Thunder on Sunday.
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