By the Associated Press
WASHINGTON — James Harden scored 59 points and made one of two free throws with 2.4 seconds to play to give the Houston Rockets a 159-158 victory over the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night.
Houston Rockets guard James Harden (13) dribbles the ball against Washington Wizards guard Troy Brown Jr. (6) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2019, in Washington. (AP Photo / Nick Wass)
Bradley Beal scored 46 points for Washington, hitting three throws with 8.1 seconds left to tie it at 158.
Harden was 18 of 32 from the field, 6 of 14 from 3-point range, and made 17 of 18 free throws. He also had nine assists in 37 minutes.
Russell Westbrook had had just three points in the first three quarters, then scored 14 in the fourth quarter and finished with his second triple-double of the season. He had 12 assists and 10 rebounds.
Clint Capela added 21 points and 12 rebounds to help Houston improved to 3-1.
Rui Hachimura had 23 points in his home debut for the Wizards, Davis Bertans added 21 and Washington shot 62.6% from the field. The Wizards dropped to 1-3.
Hachimura, the highest drafted Japanese-born player in NBA history, had lots of fans in his home debut, including Shinsuke Sugiyama, the Japanese ambassador to the U.S.
Washington coach Scott Brooks coached Harden and Westbrook for three seasons with the Oklahoma City Thunder and is intrigued to see what the two, who were reunited in the offseason, can do with Houston.
“They’re going to do wonderful things together,” Brooks predicts.
Raptors beat Pistons behind Pascal Siakam’s third quarter rally
Toronto Raptors forward Pascal Siakam (43) shoots over Detroit Pistons forward Christian Wood (35) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2019 in Toronto. (Frank Gunn/Canadian Press via AP)
In Toronto, Pascal Siakam scored 30 points, including 19 in the third quarter, and Fred VanVleet had 13 points and 11 assists as the Toronto Raptors beat the Detroit Pistons 125-113 on Wednesday night for their fourth victory in five games to start the season.
Siakam made eight of 12 shots in the third, including three of four from 3-point range, as the defending NBA champions outscored Detroit 37-27 to take a 101-85 lead into the fourth.
Kyle Lowry scored 20 points, Serge Ibaka and Norman Powell each had 19 and OG Anonuby added 13 for the Raptors. Toronto shot 59% from the field (51 for 86), its best mark of the season. Siakam finished 13 of 21, Ibaka went 9 for 15 and Powell was 7 for 10.
Andre Drummond had 21 points and 22 rebounds for the Pistons, who have lost three of four. Derrick Rose added 16 points and 10 assists.
Langston Galloway scored 17 points and Markieff Morris had 16 as Detroit coach Dwane Casey finished on the losing end of a Pistons-Raptors game for the first time in three seasons.
Casey coached Toronto to four wins over Detroit during the 2017-18 season but was fired after the Raptors lost in the second round of the playoffs.
After being chosen NBA Coach of the Year for his 59-win regular season with Toronto, Casey ended up being hired by the Pistons. Detroit won all three meetings with the Raptors last season, including a 106-104 victory north of the border last November in Casey’s return to Toronto.
Casey hadn’t been the losing coach in a meeting between the teams since a 102-101 Detroit win in Toronto on Feb. 12, 2017, when Stan Van Gundy coached the visitors.
Siakam scored nine points in the first as the Raptors led 37-28 after one.
Morris scored nine points in the second but Lowry and Powell each had six for the Raptors, who led 64-58 at halftime.
Siakam had seven straight points as Toronto outscored Detroit 15-4 over the first 4:11 of the second half, turning a six-point edge into a commanding 79-62 lead.
Source: Manila Bulletin
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