James Harden powers Houston Rockets over slumping Indiana Pacers

Harden scored 26 points and Houston avenged their worst loss of the season, against Indiana in December, by dealing the Pacers their own heaviest defeat with a 112-86 victory on Friday night.

The Rockets have the third-best record in the Western Conference, at 43-19. Pat Sullivan / AP / March 7, 2014

James Harden and the Rockets were determined to make up for their most lopsided loss of the season when they got a second shot at Indiana on Friday night.

Not only did Houston do that, but it handed the Eastern Conference-leading Pacers their biggest defeat in the process.

Harden had 28 points and the Rockets used a huge third quarter to turn a close game into a blowout in a 112-86 win over the Pacers.

Harden scored 16 in Houston’s 38-point third quarter, which turned a three-point lead into a 29-point advantage. He also got into a dustup with Evan Turner that resulted in both players receiving technical fouls.

Dwight Howard and Harden went to the bench for the fourth period and watched their teammates wrap up Houston’s fourth consecutive win.

Indiana won by 33 the first time the teams met on December 20 in Indianapolis.

“That’s all we talked about,” Howard said. “Every timeout and every possession. We wanted to get payback. It was good for us to come out (Friday) and stay on them for four quarters.”

David West had 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Pacers, losers of three straight for the first time this season.

“We’re just putting the emphasis on trying to get better,” Indiana centre Roy Hibbert said. “Since the All-Star break we haven’t been playing the best basketball. We’ve been playing awful.”

But Pacers coach Frank Vogel isn’t too concerned about his team despite the skid.

“Every team I’ve ever been a part of has had a stretch like we’re in right now,” he said. “And since I’ve been here we’ve always worked our way out of it, so I’m sure we will. It stinks right now. It’s not fun right now, but we’ve got a good team and we’ll regroup.”

Howard finished with 15 points and seven rebounds. Chandler Parsons and Jeremy Lin added 11 points apiece for the Rockets.

Houston made their run in the third quarter, when things got heated.

Turner was fouled by Parsons after he stole the ball from Patrick Beverley. Turner pushed Harden with one hand at the end of the play. Harden immediately got in his face, so close it appeared they might be touching, and the pair exchanged words. They were quickly pulled apart while players from both teams yelled at each other.

Harden said he got in Turner’s face because he went too far.

“I wasn’t going to let it slide,” he said. “I wasn’t having it.”

The fracas didn’t do anything to slow down Harden, and he scored five points in the 10-3 run by Houston that followed, extending the lead to 83-53.

Harden said it was important that the Rockets maintained their composure after the scuffle.

“We knew that the game was going to be officiated tight after that and we did a good job of getting stops and getting out and getting layups and threes,” he said.

OTHER FRIDAY RESULTS

Raptors 99, Kings 87

Guard Terrence Ross showed no ill effects from a sprained left ankle that sidelined him from last Sunday’s game, leading the Toronto Raptors to a comfortable win over the Sacramento Kings.

Rudy Gay, in his first game in Toronto since his trade to the Kings in early December, was booed relentlessly as Toronto (34-26) improved to 27-14 since the trade. Sacramento fell to 22-40.

Bobcats 101, Cavaliers 92

Centre Al Jefferson scored 28 points as the Charlotte Bobcats (29-33) won their second in a row following a brutal three-game road trip that saw losses at San Antonio, Oklahoma City and Miami.

Jefferson hit eight of his first nine shots from the field as Cleveland (24-39) succumbed to their third successive loss.

Kemba Walker added 20 points and 14 assists for Charlotte. Luol Deng and Dion Waiters each had 19 points to lead the Cavs.

Grizzlies 85, Bulls 77

Centre Marc Gasol scored 18 points and the Memphis Grizzlies (35-26) defence dominated down the stretch for a victory over the Chicago Bulls (34-28).

The Bulls managed just two points over the final 5:54, making one of nine shots from the field. Taj Gibson came off the bench to lead Chicago with 18 points and Joakim Noah had 16 points, eight rebounds, six assists, a steal and two blocks in the loss.

Zach Randolph added 10 points and 11 rebounds for Memphis.

Knicks 108, Jazz 81

The New York Knicks enjoyed a one-sided romp against the toothless Utah Jazz with forward Carmelo Anthony scoring 29 points and a season-high eight assists.

It was the seventh win by over 20 points this season for the Knicks (23-40), while Utah (21-41) dropped their fifth straight game.

Tyson Chandler pitched in a double-double for New York, with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Gordon Hayward led the Jazz with 18 points on 6-of-8 shooting wht seven rebounds and five assists.

Celtics 91, Nets 84

The Boston Celtics had 28 turnovers but still beat a poor-shooting Brooklyn Nets.

The Nets turned the ball over just 14 times, but shot 36 per cent from the floor, and were 4-of-30 from three-point range.

Rajon Rondo scored 20 and dished nine assists, while also snatching four steals, to lead the Celtics (21-41).

Deron Williams managed 20 points on 7-of-15 shooting for the Nets (30-30) as his teammates struggled from the field.

Pelicans 112, Bucks 104

Forward Anthony Davis scored a game-high 29 points and grabbed 14 rebounds to lift the New Orleans over Milwauke.

The Pelicans (25-37) led by as many as 10 points in the fourth quarter before Milwaukee cut it to 104-99 with 1:17 left, but the Bucks could not get any closer as they fell to 12-49, the worst record in the league. They were led by Jeff Adrien’s 20 points and 10 rebounds off the bench.

Tyreke Evans added 25 poinst for New Orleans.

Warriors 111, Hawks 97

David Lee scored 18 points and Jermaine O’Neal added 17 to lead the reserves as Golden State cruised past Atlanta.

Stephen Curry added 13 points and seven assists for the Warriors (39-24).

Paul Millsap had 16 points and seven rebounds to pace the Hawks (26-34).

Timberwolves 114, Pistons 101

Kevin Love filled up the stat sheet with 28 points, 14 rebounds, five assists and two steals in a comfortable win for Minnesota over Detroit.

Kevin Martin also scored 24 on 9-of-16 shooting and Ricky Rubio nearly notched a triple-double for the T-Wolves (31-30), with 11 points, eight rebounds and nine assists.

Greg Monroe scored 20 and grabbed 15 rebounds for Detroit (24-38).

Mavericks 103, Trail Blazers 98

Dirk Nowitzki scored 22 and Monta Ellis scored 17 with eight rebounds and seven assists as Dallas (37-26) picked up an important Western Conference victory over Portland (42-20).

Despite LaMarcus Aldridge’s 30-point, 17-rebound game and Wesley Matthews’ 26 points on 11-of-19 shooting, the Blazers struggled with Damian Lillard shooting only 3-of-10 and committing five turnovers. Robin Lopez also managed just two points and five rebounds in 30 minutes of play.

Nuggets 134, Lakers 126

Kenneth Faried scored 32 points and picked up 13 rebounsd and Ty Lawson registered 30 poinst and 16 assists as Denver (27-34) notched a win with the hapless Lakers (21-42) in town.

Pau Gasol turned in a 27-point effort and Kendall Marshall had 14 assists for Los Angeles in the loss. Ryan Kelly had a double-double off the bench as well, with 24 points and 11 rebounds.