Harden drops another 50-plus game with 54
The Rockets report, brought to you by APG&E: Rockets beat Magic 130-107
Dec 13, 2019, 8:23 pm
Harden drops another 50-plus game with 54
For the second straight game, James Harden put up more than 50, scoring 54 as the Rockets raced past the Magic 130-107. He now has 109 points in his last two games. For the second game in a row, he did not do much of it at the free throw line, going 6 of 6.
Russell Westbrook had another solid game with 23 points on 9 of 18 shooting.
Star of the game: Hmmm...this is a toughie. Actually, no, it's all Harden, who is playing at a terrific level. He was 10 of 15 on 3-pointers.
Key moment: The Rockets were up 94-78 when James Harden stole the ball and went the distance to score at the buzzer of the third quarter. Orlando never threatened after that.
Up next: The Rockets host the Pistons at Toyota Center tomorrow night at 8 p.m.
Nolan Arenado homered and Brendan Donovan went 4 for 4, helping Sonny Gray and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Houston Astros 8-3 on Monday night.
Arenado also doubled twice and scored two runs in the opener of a three-game series. Donovan extended his hitting streak to 10 games.
Gray (3-0) pitched seven scoreless innings. He allowed three hits, struck out four and walked one.
The Cardinals have won Gray's last eight home starts dating to last season.
Astros left-hander Framber Valdez (1-2) was tagged for seven runs — six earned — in four-plus innings. Five of the 10 hits he allowed were doubles.
Arenado hit a solo drive off Luis Contreras in the eighth. It was his second homer of the season.
The Cardinals broke it open with three runs in the fourth and three more in the fifth.
Pedro Pagés hit a two-run double to make it 3-0 in the fourth. Nolan Gorman's sacrifice fly extended the lead to 7-0 in the fifth.
Donovan scored twice and drove in a run. He is batting an NL-high .391.
Houston's Jeremy Peña hit a three-run homer off Roddery Muñoz with two outs in the ninth.
Arenado drove in the first run in the fifth. He fouled off four straight offerings in a 10-pitch at-bat before ripping an RBI double to left.
Gray set the tone when he retired Jose Altuve, Isaac Paredes and Yordan Alvarez in order in the first inning. The Astros’ only hit off Gray through five was catcher Yainer Diaz’s infield single in the second.
Astros right-hander Hunter Brown (1-1, 2.00 ERA) starts on Tuesday night. Right-hander Erick Fedde (1-1, 4.50 ERA) makes his fourth start for the Cardinals.