Harden scores 25 after rough start, Rockets top Mavs 100-96
DALLAS (AP) — James Harden scored 25 points after another rough shooting start against Dallas, and the Houston Rockets beat the Mavericks 100-96 on Friday night.
Harden, who missed his first 11 shots in a home loss to Dallas last month, was 3 of 12 in the first half before making seven of 11. That included a clinching jumper that hit the rim and backboard before bouncing on the rim a couple more times and going in for a four-point lead with 7 seconds left.
The All-Star guard also had eight rebounds and nine assists, including one to Terrence Jones for a wide-open dunk that put Houston ahead for good at 98-96 in the final minute.
Deron Williams had 22 points and six assists to lead the Mavericks, but also had eight of Dallas' 17 turnovers.
Houston played without Dwight Howard, who was getting a night of rest, and still had 15 offensive rebounds and 18 second-chance points as interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff improved to 5-4 since replacing Kevin McHale.
The Rockets have won four of five games after losing seven of the previous eight.
Dirk Nowitzki had 16 points and 10 rebounds but missed a 3-pointer with Dallas trailing by two in the final 2 minutes. Nowitzki limped toward the locker room early in the fourth quarter with an apparent hip injury but returned.
Wes Matthews also missed a 3 that would have put Dallas ahead before Nowitzki's late miss, and finished 1 of 8 from beyond the arc and 1 of 9 overall. He scored five points.
Trevor Ariza was 4 of 7 from long range and finished with 18 points for the Rockets, who were 11 of 18 on 3s in the first half before cooling off and missing seven of eight after halftime.
Jones had 17 points and nine rebounds, and Patrick Beverley made all four of his 3s — all in the first half — and finished with 14.
Devin Harris led the Mavericks with 13 points in the first half, including four on a strange sequence in the second quarter.
Harris was flattened by Beverley and threw up a shot that went in before missing the free throw. On Houston's end, Jones was called for a flagrant foul for an elbow to Harris' head while setting a screen. Harris, who finished with 15 points, made both those free throws.
TIP-INS
Rockets: Montrezl Harrell left late in the third quarter and didn't return after trying to follow a miss with a dunk and getting hit in the face. He stayed down while Dallas' Williams first missed a 3 and then hit one for a 73-72 Dallas lead.
Mavericks: Dallas wore the road uniform from the 1980s on a "Hardwood Classics" night. The green jerseys had "Dallas" across the front with white numbers in blue trim. ... Raymond Felton and Jones got a double-technical after a confrontation during a dead ball in the fourth quarter.
UP NEXT:
Rockets: Sacramento at home Saturday.
Mavericks: At Washington on Sunday.