Houston Rockets vs New York Knicks Box Score on Nov 01, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Nov 1, 2017

NEW YORK -- James Harden had 31 points and nine assists as the Houston Rockets scored 16 straight points in the second quarter en route to a 119-97 victory over the New York Knicks Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden.

Harden shot 9 of 23 and made six 3-pointers as the Rockets rebounded from losses to Memphis and Philadelphia by shooting 47.7 percent and hitting 19 3-pointers.

Harden hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to end the first quarter. After Tim Hardaway Jr. hit a 3-pointer to open the second quarter, Houston held the Knicks scoreless until the 6:32 mark of the second while opening a 40-30 advantage,

The Knicks came into the game red-hot, having won three straight games including a 114-95 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers, and they were on fire early Wednesday too before Houston surged ahead.

After the Rockets shot 32 percent and trailed by three through the first 12 minutes, Houston hit 8-of-8 free throws, two 3-pointers and Clint Capela capped it with a steal and fast-break dunk.

Houston eventually went into halftime with a 12-point lead and stretched it to as much as 29 late in the third quarter before New York cut it to as little as 18 in the fourth.

The Rockets placed all five starters in double figures.

Ryan Anderson and Eric Gordon added 21 and 17 points, respectively. Trevor Ariza totaled 16 and Capela contributed 12 and 13 rebounds.

Hardaway, who had 34 points in the win over Cleveland, had 23 points and seven rebounds to lead the Knicks. Kristaps Porzingis, one of the stars of the young NBA season, was held to just 19 points and five rebounds in 29 minutes.

The Knicks were undefeated with point guard Jarrett Jack in the lineup, but he stalled with just four points in 20 minutes.

NOTES: Houston G James Harden's 31-point effort was his first 30-point performance of the year. He has scored either 27 or 29 points in six of the team's prior eight games this season. ... New York F Kristaps Porzingis had one of his worst games of the year: Prior to the loss, he had scored 30-plus in three straight games, including a career-high 38 in a 116-110 win over Denver on Monday. ... The teams observed a moment of silence before the national anthem to honor the victims of Tuesday's terrorist attack in New York City. ... Houston C Clint Capela was the only player to reach double-figures in rebounding as he finished with 13 boards.