James Harden, Eric Gordon Lead Balanced Rockets Past Kawhi Leonard, Raptors

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James Harden had 35 points and seven assists and Eric Gordon added 24 points as the Houston Rockets beat the Toronto Raptors 121-119 on Friday at the Toyota Center in Houston.

Harden has now scored 30 or more points in 22 straight games. He is averaging 42.7 points per game since December 13.

Kawhi Leonard scored 32 points for the 36-15 Raps. The 28-20 Rockets have won two straight.

Rockets Prove They’re Not Just the Harden Show

Harden went just 3-of-11 in the first half, hit just one three-pointer and scored “only” 13 points, which is a significant number for most players but a pedestrian-at-best mark for him given his recent tear.

But the Rockets took a 70-61 halftime lead because Harden’s teammates stepped up while the Raptors sent a host of defenders at The Beard.

First, Houston big man Kenneth Faried had a 10-point, 10-rebound double-double in the first half alone. Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle explained why Faried was able to control the glass, including grabbing four offensive boards:

The Rockets signed the 29-year-old after the Brooklyn Nets bought him out, and he looks like one of the bigger steals of the season. He’s already shown an excellent rapport with Harden, who assisted on five of his buckets.

Second, the Rockets’ ball movement was superb. Normally, the Rockets play a lot of isolation ball, as evidenced by their No. 28 ranking in assists per game. But with Toronto throwing the kitchen sink at Harden, the Rockets were able to distribute the ball to the open man, much like when Harden found an open PJ Tucker following a double-team:

The same thing happened in the third quarter, with the Toronto defense collapsing on Harden before a kickout and another open Tucker three:

Third, Feigen and Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated referenced that Harden’s hockey assists helped the team, which was evident here:

With the Raptors collapsing on Harden in the paint, the 2017-18 MVP threw a baseball pass to Austin Rivers, who dished to the more open Gordon for the easy three. If not for Harden’s initial slice into the paint, that shot doesn’t happen.

The Rockets won despite shooting just 10-of-46 from three-point range for a 21.7 percent success rate. The well-rounded starting five was to thank. Faried had 21 points and 14 rebounds, Tucker had 18 more and four threes, and Rivers finished with 13 points and six dimes. As a team, Houston also committed seven fewer turnovers and scored 10 more points in the paint.

Houston’s win is more impressive given that the Raptors are No. 1 in wins and had their entire starting five on the court. With All-Star point guard Chris Paul close to returning from a hamstring strain, the Rockets are looking like a dangerous team.

What’s Next?

Both teams play on Sunday. The Rockets will host the Orlando Magic, and the Raptors will stay in Texas for a matchup with the Dallas Mavericks.