HOUSTON _ When James Harden and Russell Westbrook combined to score the first 37 Rockets points in a 42-point opening quarter, it appeared the Brookley Nets were headed for a visit to blowout city. The Nets found the will to overcome a 22-point deficit to lead by a point twice in the fourth quarter, but Harden and Westbrook had just enough in their arsenal as they combined for 67 points in the Rockets' 108-98 victory Saturday night at Toyota Center.
Just when it seemed the Nets lacked the firepower to stay with the Rockets, they found an unlikely source of scoring when the second unit put together an 18-1 run spanning the end of the third quarter and beginning of the fourth to take a 90-89 lead on a tip-in by DeAndre Jordan with 8:58 left. Backup point guard Theo Pinson had seven points in the surge.
Pinson later gave the Nets their last lead at 92-91 with a layup at the 7:25 mark. But that was when Harden regained his magic touch, getting to the rim twice for baskets in an 8-0 burst, including a floater in the lane with 4:33 to go, that gave the Rockets a 99-92 lead.
The nail in the proverbial coffin came with 42.9 seconds left when Harden hit a right-wing three-pointer for a 107-98 advantage. Harden totaled 44 points, including 6-for-10 on three-pointers, to go with 10 rebounds and six assists to lead the Rockets (22-10). Westbrook added 23 points, eight rebounds and seven assists.
Spencer Dinwiddie topped the Nets (16-15) with 17 points and 11 assists. They also got 16 points and 10 rebounds from Jarrett Allen and 16 points from Taurean Prince. Westbrook and Prince got into a confrontation with 20.3 seconds left and were ejected.
Harden and Westbrook are one of the most powerful scoring combinations in the NBA, and Harden, whose 38.1 scoring average is nearly eight points ahead of second-place Giannis Antetokounmpo, is especially difficult to contain. Nets coach Kenny Atkinson noted the Nets have been strongest at the defensive end of late, but he added that it's tough to change the scheme for one player like Harden.
"It's really hard," Atkinson said before the game. "Since Dec. 1, we've been the third-best defensive team in the league. You don't get a trophy for that. I understand that. But we've been doing a really solid job of defending.
"Now, here comes James Harden. Do you stick with what you've been doing? Or do you say, 'Junk that. He's so good and so special that you have to do something different.' "
