James Harden matched a career-high with 61 points as he led a fourth quarter rally in the Rockets 111-105 win over the San Antonio Spurs Friday night at Toyota Center.
Harden shot 19-of-34 from the field, 9-of-13 from behind the three-point line, and 14-of-17 from the free throw line as he matched his points output from January 23 at Madison Square Garden.
He scored 27 of the Rockets 36 points as they took a 12 point lead after 12 minutes and added three points to that advantage in the second quarter, but San Antonio came storming back in the third.
Chris Paul connected on back-to-back jumpers to increase the Rockets lead to 19, but the Spurs scored the next nine. After Harden's 30-footer ended the run, San Antonio scored seven straight. Eric Gordon knocked down a triple with 62 seconds left in the quarter, though that lead completely vanished thanks to Jakob Poeltl's tip-in with .6 second left as the teams went into the fourth quarter tied at 81.
Harden sat on the bench as the quarter started with 46 points and the lead changed hands on five straight possessions, but when Bryn Forbes put the Spurs up on that fifth lead change, the Spurs built on their lead. A Danuel House turnover resulted in a Derrick White fastbreak layup, putting the Spurs up six with 4:47 left to play, but after that, Harden took over.
He canned three straight treys to give the Rockets a 103-100 lead, and after DeMar DeRozan's layup brought the Spurs within one, Harden banked home a turnaround fadeaway followed by a floater to make it a two possession game, as the Rockets improved to 46-27 on the season.
Chris Paul (18 points) and Gordon (12 points) were the only other Rockets to score in double figures, though the Rockets not named Harden combined to shoot less than 33 percent (17-for-52.
Forbes led the Spurs with 20 points, while White added 18 as San Antonio falls to 42-31.
Up next for the Rockets will be a trip to New Orleans where they'll take on the Pelicans Sunday.
