Harden, Rockets avenge early-season loss to Heat

James Harden made seven 3-pointers and scored 34 points to help the Houston Rockets cruise to a 117-108 victory over the visiting Miami Heat on Wednesday night. Russell Westbrook added 27 points, nine rebounds and seven assists as Houston halted a three-game slide. Danuel House Jr. scored a career-best 23 points to help the Rockets avenge a 129-100 loss to the Heat in Miami on Nov. 3.

Tyler Herro scored 22 points off the bench for Miami, which was without star Jimmy Butler due to illness. The loss was just the second in the past eight games for the Heat. Kelly Olynyk added 19 points and Bam Adebayo recorded 17 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists for the Heat. Duncan Robinson and Goran Dragic tallied 13 points apiece.

Miami's Justise Winslow scored 10 points in 34 minutes after missing the previous nine games due to a concussion. Rockets big man Clint Capela also sat out due to illness. Houston's Gary Clark contributed 12 points and eight rebounds.

The Rockets shot 46.3 percent from the field, including 15 of 44 from 3-point range. Miami also shot 46.3 percent from the field and was 14 of 37 from behind the arc.

Harden made five 3-pointers in a 24-point first half as the Rockets led 66-42. Westbrook added 18 points. Houston led 27-23 after one quarter before opening the second with a 13-2 surge for a 15-point advantage.

The lead exceeded 20 for the first time when Ben McLemore drained a 3-pointer to make it 53-32 with 4:33 remaining. The Rockets boosted their lead to 74-49 on Westbrook's basket with 7:27 left in the third quarter. Houston led 91-68 entering the final stanza.

The Heat pulled within 103-91 on Winslow's driving basket with 5:18 left and had a chance to move within 10, but Dragic missed two free throws 20 seconds later. Harden, PJ Tucker and House all connected on 3-pointers in a span of 1:49 as the Rockets reasserted control with a 114-98 edge with 2:09 left en route to closing it out.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)