12-13-2019, 02:14 AM
LOS ANGELES -- When the nets finally cooled down at Staples Center, the Houston Rockets had a choice. Garrett Temple Jersey . They could be excited about their highest-scoring game of the year, or dismayed at their worst defensive effort in more than five months. James Harden and the Rockets chose to draw motivation from both sources for their playoff push after a prolific night against the Los Angeles Lakers. Terrence Jones and Harden scored 33 points apiece, and the Rockets beat the Lakers 145-130 on Tuesday night for their third straight victory. Chandler Parsons scored 19 points for the Rockets, who used a 49-point third quarter to solidify their hold on fourth place in the Western Conference standings despite their second-worst defensive performance of the year. Still, Houston won the opener of a three-game road trip without injured Dwight Howard and Patrick Beverley, scoring with stunning ease against the Lakers laughable defence. "We had it going," said Harden, who had 12 assists and hit three 3-pointers. "We still gave up too many points, more than we wanted to, but we still got it going. Tonight was a tough game, a weird game." Jones scored 23 points during a dominant first half, while Harden contributed 18 points during an overwhelming third quarter for the Rockets, who made 18 of their 24 shots and hit seven 3-pointers to go ahead 115-90. Jones, who limped off the court with cramps, and Harden both sat out the fourth quarter of the Rockets third win over the Lakers this season. Rookie Isaiah Canaan matched his career high with 15 points for Houston (52-25), which leads Portland by 2 1/2 games with a game in hand for fourth place in the West. "When you go up like that, its hard to stay locked in (defensively)," Parsons said. "But we can do a better job of that. Weve just got to keep going and lock up homecourt advantage and get ready for the playoffs." Steve Nash moved into third place on the NBAs career assists list for the miserable Lakers (25-53), who tied the franchise record for losses in a single season with their worst defensive performance of the year. Afterward, Nash said his season might be over after playing through another twinge of pain in his troublesome hamstrings. "I just wanted to hang on and get this over with," the two-time NBA MVP said. "All of this is beyond my aspirations and wildest dreams. To be in that company is phenomenal." After matching the 1957-58 Minneapolis Lakers 53 losses in a 72-game season, coach Mike DAntonis injury-riddled team will finish with the clubs most losses since moving to Los Angeles in 1960. Nick Young scored 32 points and Jodie Meeks added 30 for the Lakers, who have lost five straight. Jordan Farmar had 15 points and eight assists in his return from a 10-game injury absence with a strained groin for the Lakers, who allowed 143 points by Minnesota 11 days ago. "We talk about schemes and different ways to play things, but it just seems like guys on other teams score too easily," Farmar said. "It just comes down to heart. It comes down to pride. Guys have to want it." Howard, nursing a sprained left ankle, didnt play in the Rockets second visit to the Lakers home court since he spurned the 16-time NBA champions as a free agent last summer for less money in Houston. The fans still booed and shouted "Coward!" at Howard, who came out to the Rockets bench late in the first quarter wearing bright pink pants. The home crowd gave a standing ovation to Nash when he passed Mark Jackson late in the first half with a long outlet pass to Meeks for his 10,335th career assist. The 40-year-old Nash, who is expected to return to the Lakers next season, trails only assists leader John Stockton (15,806) and Jason Kidd (12,091) in league history. Nash finished with three points and five assists in 13 minutes, sitting out the second half in just his 15th game of the season. The Lakers were down to just nine healthy players for their latest loss, playing without injured Pau Gasol, Chris Kaman, Xavier Henry and Kent Bazemore. Nash, Farmar and Young played through injury problems to suit up. Nash catalyzed a 22-8 run in the second quarter by the Lakers, who briefly took the lead before Houston went into halftime up 66-61. The Rockets made a 28-6 run in the opening minutes of the third quarter. NOTES: Late in the fourth quarter, the Lakers announced general manager Mitch Kupchak has agreed to a multiyear contract extension. The clubs longtime personnel boss had one year left on his contract. ... The Clippers scored 137 points against Houston in the fourth game of the season. ... Welterweight champion Timothy Bradley Jr. was at Staples Center to promote his rematch with Manny Pacquiao on Saturday in Las Vegas. Andy Garcia, Jason Biggs, Jenny Mollen and Robbie Keane watched at courtside. Greivis Vasquez Jersey . Torres tells Spanish daily AS "in football you never know where you will be inside one month. Im going to work hard, thats all you can do with this last part of the season so important. Nets Jerseys 2019 . - Because they didnt go into Beast Mode, the Seattle Seahawks found themselves in Spin Mode. https://www.cheapnetsonline.com/705g-dar...-nets.html . Ho-Sang is a highly regarded prospect, as seen in TSNs Midseason Rankings. This was Game 3 of their playoff series and that wasnt the only strange incident in Londons 10-2 win over Windsor.Melbourne, Australia - Tomas Berdych fended off a David Ferrer comeback on Tuesday and reached his first Australian Open semifinal as a result. Berdych, seeded seventh, won the first two sets of the quarterfinal meeting in quick fashion, then suddenly lost the momentum when the third-seeded Ferrer rallied to win the third. The hard-hitting Czech, having lost in the quarters of the Aussie Open the previous three years, made sure it wouldnt happen a fourth as he finished off a 6-1, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 triumph at Rod Laver Arena. The first set lasted just 30 minutes, and Berdych appeared poised to make it a quick one by taking a two sets to love lead. Ferrer broke Berdychs serve twice in a third set that saw him nudge a line judge standing near a chair he wanted to put a towel on, a sign he was up for a fight. The frustrated Spaniard, however, coulldnt overcome Berdychs serve in the fourth, as Berdych fended off a break point in the final game and came away with the victory in three hours, three minutes. Albert King Jersey. . Ferrer rallied from two sets down to beat Nicolas Almagro in last years Aussie quarters before eventually losing in the semis to Novak Djokovic, who will play eighth-seeded Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka in Tuesdays other quarterfinal. The former No. 1 Djokovic is a dominant 15-2 lifetime against Wawrinka, including a fourth-round win here a year ago. The Serbian star also topped the Swiss in a U.S. Open semifinal last season. Djokovic, seeded second this year, has won his last 25 matches at the Aussie Open, where hes the three-time reigning champion and has captured four of the last six titles Down Under. Berdych fended off a Ferrer comeback attempt on Day 9. ' ' '