Lakers top Rockets in Walton's debut
LOS ANGELES -- Jordan Clarkson came off the bench to score 25 points, and the Los Angeles Lakers tipped off the Luke Walton era on a high note, beating the Houston Rockets 120-114 Wednesday night in the season opener for both teams at Staples Center.
Lakers point guard D'Angelo Russell added 20 points, while Julius Randle chipped in 18 points, seven rebounds and six assists for the Lakers, who made a winner of Walton in his debut as head coach.
Rockets guard James Harden finished with a game-high 34 points and a career-best 17 assists. Harden also had eight rebounds. Eric Gordon contributed 19 points, Clint Capela scored 16 and grabbed nine rebounds, and Ryan Anderson finished with 14 for the Rockets.
Two Clarkson free throws lifted Los Angeles to a 108-104 lead with 6:41 remaining. However, Harden converted a pair of four shots with 3:53 left to knot the score at 110.
After Russell's two foul shots boosted the Lakers to a 113-112 advantage with 2:47 left, the home team never trailed again.
Clarkson also had a 3-pointer down the stretch to keep Houston at bay.
The Rockets, who led by as many as 10 points, grabbed a 71-63 edge at the half. They connected on 64.4 percent of their shots compared to 53.2 percent for the Lakers before the break. Houston hit 46.2 percent of its 3-pointers to 35 percent for Los Angeles.
Overall, the Rockets outshot the Lakers 51.2 percent to 50.6 percent. From behind the 3-point arc, the Lakers made 12 of 35 (34.3 percent) to only seven of 29 (24.1 percent) for the Rockets.
Harden had 16 points on 5-of-9 shooting and 14 assists by intermission.
Russell, Randle and Timofey Mozgov scored 12 apiece for the Lakers in the opening 24 minutes. Mozgov was held scoreless in the second half.
In the third quarter, the Lakers tied the score at 88 on a 3-pointer by Clarkson with 1:25 left. However, Harden delivered Houston's final eight points of the quarter for a 96-90 advantage heading into the final period.
Brandon Ingram, selected by the Lakers with the second overall pick in this year's draft, finished with nine points and three rebounds in 24 minutes during his professional debut.
NOTES: Lakers head coach Luke Walton admitted to being anxious before his first game. "There's definitely nerves and excitement right now, but there's no time to think about how incredible this is," said Walton, whose father, former NBA star Bill Walton, sat in on the pregame media session wearing a Lakers T-shirt. ... Rockets G Patrick Beverley, who had successful arthroscopic surgery on his left knee Tuesday, will be re-evaluated within the three weeks, according to club officials. ... Lakers G Jose Calderon missed the game due to a slight left calf strain. His status is day-to-day. ... Both clubs resume play Friday. The Rockets visit the Dallas Mavericks. The Lakers begin a four-game road trip at the Utah Jazz.