National Basketball Association
BOXSCORE | RECAP
Houston 127, Phoenix 118
When: 8:00 PM ET, Tuesday, February 10, 2015
Where: US Airways Center, Phoenix, Arizona
Officials: #72 J.T. Orr, #55 Bill Kennedy, #59 Gary Zielinski
Attendance: 17071


Rockets 127, Suns 118: James Harden scored half of his 40 points in the fourth quarter and tallied 12 rebounds and nine assists as visiting Houston pulled away from Phoenix down the stretch.

Josh Smith added 20 points and six rebounds off the bench and Patrick Beverley finished with 15 points, six rebounds and six assists for the Rockets. Corey Brewer scored 14 additional points for the reserves and Donatas Motiejunas finished with 12 points for the Rockets.

Eric Bledsoe of the Suns scored 32 points after missing the previous game for the birth of his first child. Goran Dragic finished with 20 points, P.J. Tucker had 17 points and seven rebounds and Markieff Morris scored 16 for Phoenix.

The Rockets gave back an 18-point lead after the opening quarter and fell behind by as many as eight just past the midway point of the third before regaining separation early in the fourth. Smith and Brewer sank 3-pointers on back-to-back possessions to spark an 11-0 run that gave the Rockets a 107-95 lead with 7:11 left in the game, which proved to be enough of a cushion even after Bledsoe pulled Phoenix within four with a 3-pointer with 3:32 on the clock.

The Rockets scored 41 points and led by 18 after the first quarter, the most points they scored in any quarter this season. Phoenix’s bench helped pull the Suns back within seven before Harden and the starters began checking back in, and his 3-pointer with a second before halftime gave the Rockets a 70-61 lead at the break.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Houston F Terrence Jones missed the game with flu-like symptoms. … The Suns had 12 turnovers in first half before finishing with 14. … Harden scored 45 points in the previous game against the Portland Trail Blazers, making him and Oklahoma City Thunder G Russell Westbrook the only players to score at least 40 points in back-to-back games this season.
Top Game Performances
 
Houston   Phoenix
James Harden 40 Scoring Eric Bledsoe 32
James Harden 9 Assists Isaiah Thomas 6
James Harden 12 Rebounds Miles Plumlee 7
James Harden 11 Free Throws Made Eric Bledsoe 12
James Harden 3 Steals Eric Bledsoe 2
James Harden 1 Blocks Miles Plumlee 4
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Points FG% 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA Assists Rebounds Blocks Steals Turnovers
Houston 127 50.5 15-37 16-23 28 47 3 9 14
Phoenix 118 47.1 12-26 24-30 18 39 5 9 14
Upcoming Games
  • Phoenix will play their next game on the road against Minnesota. The Suns have a W/L % of .633 after a win and .417 after a loss.
  • Houston will play their next game on the road against L.A. Clippers. The Rockets have a W/L % of .639 after a win and .812 after a loss.