Rockets 88, Spurs 84
HOUSTON -- James Harden drilled consecutive 3-pointers down the stretch and the Houston Rockets relied on their stifling defense to defeat the San Antonio Spurs 88-84 on Friday night at Toyota Center.
Harden shot just 7 for 21 and missed his first three attempts from behind the arc before nailing back-to-back treys to push the Rockets (16-15) to an 84-75 lead and their seventh consecutive home victory.
Harden finished with 20 points and nine assists while center Dwight Howard chipped in 11 points and 12 rebounds. Forward Terrence Jones (14 points) and guard Jason Terry (12 points) scored in double figures off the bench as Houston snapped the Spurs' seven-game winning streak.
Forwards Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge combined for 38 points and 16 rebounds for the Spurs (25-6). Center Tim Duncan added 13 points and 11 rebounds.
Houston surged to a 10-point lead with 9:52 remaining before the Spurs clawed back with nine consecutive points capped by a Duncan basket. But the Rockets stubbornly refused to wilt, stringing together six free throws before Harden found his stroke from behind the arc.
The Spurs tapped into their defensive might midway through the second quarter to erase what was once a seven-point Rockets lead.
When Rockets forward Donatas Motiejunas banked in an eight-footer with 5:37 left in the half, Houston led 36-32. That basket represented the Rockets' last of the second quarter, with Leonard scoring six consecutive points to pull the Spurs even at 38-38 as San Antonio scored the final seven points of the half to lead 43-38 at the break.
Harden, limited to 1-for-6 shooting and just two points in the first half, came alive in the third quarter. Just over three minutes into the period he produced six points on successive baskets, and his assist on a hook shot from Rockets forward Clint Capela capped a 13-4 run to lifted Houston back in front 51-49. Momentum swung back and forth through the remainder of the period, and entering the fourth the teams had combined for 10 lead changes and nine ties with Houston leading 61-60.
NOTES: On the heels of a decent performance from G Ty Lawson (11 points and three assists) on Wednesday night at Orlando, Rockets interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff addressed questions concerning a potential change in his starting lineup. Houston is 10-5 with G Patrick Beverley in the starting lineup, and Bickerstaff confirmed that Beverley would remain a starter in the foreseeable future. ... Spurs F Kyle Anderson matched his season high of 10 points on Wednesday at Minnesota and seemingly solidified his role as a viable member of the rotation with a season-high 12.9 game score. ... Friday marked the ninth time the Rockets played on Christmas but the first time they have done so in Houston since the franchise moved from San Diego.