Houston: James Harden scored 44 points and the Houston Rockets used a big fourth quarter run to beat the Indiana Pacers 111-102 on Friday night.
Houston has won a season-high six games in a row and Harden has scored 36 points or more in five straight games to carry the Rockets as they deal with injuries to Clint Capela, Eric Gordon and Danuel House.
Domantas Sabonis had 18 points and 13 rebounds for Indiana, and Doug and McDermott also scored 18 points. Indiana had won four in a row.
LeBron James hit two free throws with 5.5 seconds to play, and Anthony Davis blocked Harrison Barnes’ driving shot at the buzzer with both hands in Los Angeles’ 10th win (99-97) in 11 games, over former coach Luke Walton and Sacramento.
James had 29 points and 11 assists, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 12 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter of the Western Conference-leading Lakers’ third straight win.
Jayson Tatum dunked after a jump ball with 1:36 left to put Boston ahead, and the Celtics held off the undermanned Golden State 105-100 for their 10th straight win since losing the season opener.
D’Angelo Russell had 12 points and seven assists but also nine of his team’s 19 turnovers before leaving with a sprained right thumb in the Warriors’ sixth straight defeat. Alec Burks scored 20 points off the bench, making 11 of 12 free throws.
Jaylen Brown had 22 points and eight rebounds, and Tatum overcame a slow start to score 24 points for the Celtics, who lost Oct. 23 at Philadelphia to start the season before beginning its longest winning streak since 2017.
