Rockets at Magic
The Houston Rockets keep racking up the victories and attempt to win their seventh straight contest when they visit the Orlando Magic on Friday. The offensive juggernauts scored 100 or more points for the 23rd consecutive game in edging Oklahoma City 118-116 on Thursday for their 17th win in 19 games.
Houston averaged 122 points while sweeping a four-game homestand and now is beginning a stretch during which it plays five of its next seven on the road. Star guard James Harden contributed 26 points, 12 assists and eight rebounds in the win over the Thunder and has recorded 10 or more assists in eight straight games and 14 of his last 15. Orlando has dropped three of its last four contests but continues to see progress from 21-year-old power forward Aaron Gordon, who had 15 points and 10 rebounds for his second double-double of the season in Wednesday's 111-92 loss to Atlanta. "He really cares," Magic coach Frank Vogel told reporters. "He takes losses maybe harder than anybody on our team. The kid cares, and he has a great disposition and competitive spirit."
TV: 7 p.m. ROOT (Houston), FSN Florida (Orlando)
ABOUT THE ROCKETS (28-9): Harden repeatedly has proven this season that he's one of the league's top passers, and another example came in the final seconds of Thursday's contest with the score tied at 116. The Thunder collapsed into a double team around Harden to try to prevent him from hoisting a last-second shot, and he fed the ball to veteran center Nene, who was fouled and made the decisive free throws with seven-tenths of a second remaining to cap a season-best 18-point effort. "I just got open and I saw two defenders guarding me," Harden explained to reporters. "Made the simple play to Nene, and he knocked down two free throws."
ABOUT THE MAGIC (16-21): Shooting guard Evan Fournier (heel) returned from a five-game absence and scored 14 points in 30 minutes off the bench during Wednesday's loss to the Hawks. Fournier leads the Magic with a 17.7 scoring average, but Vogel kept Jodie Meeks in the starting lineup after the veteran recorded season bests of 23 points and six 3-pointers in Monday's win over the New York Knicks. "We've got to have a next-man-up mentality anytime anyone goes down," Vogel told reporters, "but I'm proud of the way our guys played for the most part in those five games."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Rockets have won six of the last eight meetings.
2. Houston backup SG Eric Gordon is averaging 26.5 points over his last two contests and has drained 20 3-pointers over the past four.
3. Orlando PG Elfrid Payton is averaging 14 points and 10 assists over his last two games.