WASHINGTON — Jalen Green tied a career high with 42 points, and the Houston Rockets closed the third quarter on a 25-6 run en route to their sixth straight victory, 137-114 over the Washington Wizards on Tuesday night.
Houston is now just 2 1/2 games behind Golden State for the final play-in spot in the Western Conference. Amen Thompson scored 25 points for the Rockets, and Fred VanVleet had seven points and 11 assists.
Corey Kispert scored 16 points for Washington, which was without Kyle Kuzma (left shoulder), Deni Avdija (right knee), Tyus Jones (back) and Bilal Coulibaly (right wrist).
Even with all those absences, the Wizards shot well enough from 3-point range to make a game of it for 2 1/2 quarters. Then Green broke a 76-all tie with two straight 3s and a three-point play, making it 85-76. After a couple Washington free throws, the Rockets scored seven more points in a row and it was never close after that.
Green scored 15 points in the third quarter and finished the game with 10 rebounds. His previous season high in points was 37 - last Thursday against Washington.
Justin Champagnie and Jules Bernard also scored 16 points apiece for the Wizards. Jabari Smith Jr. scored 18 with 14 rebounds for the Rockets.
Jock Landale had seven of Houston’s 11 blocked shots. Washington’s Jordan Poole had six of his shots blocked, five by Landale. Poole scored 13 points on 5-of-18 shooting.
Washington has won only four games at home this season, one fewer at Capital One Arena than North Carolina State’s college team won at the ACC Tournament just last week. After five straight losses, the Wizards have the NBA’s worst record at 11-58. They are 1 1/2 games behind Detroit.
UP NEXT
Rockets: Host Chicago on Thursday night.
Wizards: Host Sacramento on Thursday night.
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