Rockets rout Lakers 134-95
HOUSTON -- Eric Gordon scored 26 points in 23 minutes off the bench and James Harden added 25 points and eight assists as the Houston Rockets throttled the Los Angeles Lakers 134-95 on Wednesday night at Toyota Center.
Gordon made 9 of 13 shots from the field and a career-high eight 3-pointers to pace the onslaught.
The Rockets (15-7) extended their NBA-record streak of games with at least 10 3-pointers to 21, finishing 15 of 36 from behind the arc en route to their sixth victory in seven games.
The Rockets torching the short-handed Lakers' defense, which offered little resistance save for one fleeting stretch in the second quarter.
All five Rockets starters scored in double figures, with guard Patrick Beverley posting a double-double (10 points, 12 assists). Center Clint Capela and forward Ryan Anderson scored 12 points apiece. Trevor Ariza added 11 points.
Lou Williams (team-high 24 points) and Julius Randle (21 points, 10 rebounds) carried the Lakers (10-14) early, but with D'Angelo Russell, Nick Young, Jose Calderon and Tarik Black unavailable, that tandem wasn't nearly enough. Los Angeles dropped its fourth consecutive game and has lost seven of its last nine games.
Gordon was the catalyst for the blowout, drilling a 3-pointer with 5:53 left in the first quarter to deliver the Rockets their first double-digit lead. He added a trio of treys to close the quarter, all inside the final two minutes, as Houston stretched the lead to 43-27 entering the second quarter.
Randle and Williams had combined to score 18 consecutive points for the Lakers, and with additional support from rookie Brandon Ingram (12 points, seven boards), the Lakers clawed within 51-44 on a Jordan Clarkson 3-pointer with 4:48 left in the first half.
But Houston followed by making 13 of 21 from the field in the third quarter, including 7 of 11 from deep to end all doubt. Harden and Gordon combined for 18 points in the third quarter.
NOTES: Lakers G D'Angelo Russell (left knee) has initiated basketball activities and could return to action early next week. Russell has missed 11 of 12 games including Wednesday night with knee soreness. He met with team doctors in Los Angeles on Tuesday, at which time he was cleared for on-court action. ... Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni will stick with his normal rotation at center, starting Clint Capela and following with Nene off the bench. But D'Antoni admitted that the emergence of Montrezl Harrell has made his allotting of minutes challenging. Harrell averaged 9.3 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 21.3 minutes over the three previous games. ... Lakers F Larry Nance Jr. returned to the rotation after missing two games with a right knee contusion.