WATCH: Harden records historic 19th straight game with 30+ points

LOS ANGELES, USA –  James Harden notched his 19th straight game with 30 or more points for the longest streak in NBA history after a 138-134 overtime win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday, January 19 (Sunday, Manila time). 

The Rockets star recorded 48 points that helped Houston rally back from a 21-point deficit. 

“I’m just trying to do whatever it takes to rack up as many wins as we can,” said Harden, who scored 40 in 10 of his last 13 games. 

Harden’s latest gem followed his 58- and 57-point performances in his last two games.

In the Rockets’ thrilling win over the Lakers, Houston never led until Eric Gordon’s three-pointer seconds into overtime put them up 123-120.

Gordon, who finished with 30 points, had forced the extra period with a three-pointer that knotted the score at 120-120 with two seconds left in regulation.

“That’s what he does,” Harden said of Gordon, who also drained 4 free throws in the waning seconds of overtime. “He makes big-time shots. He gave us plenty tonight and we needed every bit of it.”

Altercation

In Atlanta, the Boston Celtics trailed much of the night but rallied in the 4th quarter for a 113-105 victory over the Hawks.

Kyrie Irving scored 32 points and Jaylen Brown added 9 of his 14 points in the final period as the Celtics posted a third straight win.

Boston’s Marcus Smart was ejected late in the 3rd quarter after an altercation with Atlanta’s DeAndre Bembry. Teammates restrained Smart as he tried to charge at the Hawks player.

Things remained tight at the top of the Eastern Conference as the Milwaukee Bucks and Toronto Raptors both won. 

Eric Bledsoe scored a season-high 30 points to lead the Bucks to a 118-108 victory over the Magic in Orlando.

The Bucks led by as many as 19 points but the Magic chipped away to reduce the deficit to just two points early in the 4th quarter.

Milwaukee’s fourth straight win pushed the Bucks’ record to 33-12, while the Raptors improved to 35-13 with a 119-90 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies.

With star forward Kawhi Leonard inactive for rest, the Raptors were led by Danny Green’s 24 points.

Green made 7 three-pointers in the 3rd quarter – a franchise record for one period.

The Indiana Pacers bounced back from a 24-point loss to the Philadelphia 76ers with a 111-99 victory over the Dallas Mavericks.

Tyreke Evans led the Pacers with 19 points. Darren Collison and Domantas Sabonis added 16 apiece and the Pacers limited the Mavericks’ star rookie Luka Doncic to 8 points in the victory. – Rappler.com