Los Angeles: Eric Gordon scored a team high 25 points and Chris Paul delivered 23 as the Houston Rockets, playing without leading scorer James Harden, used a balanced attack to beat the Golden State Warriors 118-112 on Saturday.
The Rockets won on the road without the reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Harden, who has been bothered by a sore neck of late and then woke up Saturday morning with flu symptoms, the team said.
Harden, who was fined $25,000 earlier Saturday for criticising the referees after a loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, has missed just four games this season. Saturday’s win showed the team’s depth without Harden, who has scored 30 or more points in 32 straight games for the second longest streak in league history.
Elsewhere, Buddy Hield scored 34 points to help the Sacramento Kings hold off Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder 119-116.
Also, Khris Middleton scored 28 points, Giannis Antetokounmpo had 27 points and 10 rebounds, and the NBA-leading Milwaukee Bucks pulled away for a 140-128 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
In New York, D’Angelo Russell tied a career high with 40 points and made some clutch plays late in the game as the Brooklyn Nets posted a 117-115 win over the Charlotte Hornets.
