HOUSTON -- James Harden scored 38 points, including eight down the stretch, and tied a career high with 17 assists to help the Houston Rockets pull away for a 117-107 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night.
The Pelicans had scored seven points in a row, capped by a 3-pointer from DeMarcus Cousins, to cut the lead to two with about two minutes left. Harden scored Houston's first points in almost 2 1/2 minutes after that on a driving layup to extend the lead. And after a bucket by Cousins on the other end, Harden made three free throws to leave the Rockets up 110-105 with about 90 seconds left.