TORONTO — James Harden had a game-high 40 points as the Houston Rockets, who had lost their last eight games in Toronto, defeated the Raptors 113-107 on Sunday at Air Canada Centre.
Harden had 20 of his 40 points in the fourth quarter as the Rockets erased an 85-77, third-quarter deficit to avoid a second consecutive loss overall. The 26-year-old entered Sunday’s game averaging 26.3 points per game in four career visits to Toronto in his highest scoring average of any opposing venue.
Corey Brewer added 23 points off the bench while Dwight Howard chipped in 21 points and 11 rebounds. Howard’s night ended with 2:08 remaining in the fourth when he picked up his sixth personal foul, much to the delight of the 19,800 in attendance
Houston (31-32) held a slim one-game lead over the Utah Jazz for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference entering Sunday’s games.
The loss snapped the Raptors’ franchise-best 12-game home winning streak.
Toronto was led by 21 points from Luis Scola. DeMar DeRozan added 19 points and seven assists while Kyle Lowry had 17 points and nine assists.
After scoring just three points on 1-of-4 shooting in the first half, DeRozan turned it on in the third quarter as the Raptors led 85-77 after three periods.
Harden responded with 10 points for the Rockets, but found himself in foul trouble early in the second half, picking up his fourth personal foul just four minutes into the third.
Toronto led by 10 at 61-51 at halftime on the strength of 16 points from Scola. The Raptors’ forward was 7-of-10 from the field and 2-for-3 from 3-point range in the first half.
Howard paced the visitors with 17 points and six rebounds through two quarters. Harden had 10.
Scola led the Raptors with 11 points as Toronto led 30-26 after one period. DeRozan and Lowry combined to go 0-for-3 from the field and had just one point between them.
NOTES: Raptors F James Johnson returned to the starting lineup in place of G Norman Powell. … Toronto averaged 109.5 points in its past six games entering Sunday. … Only San Antonio (23-3) and Golden State (22-3) have better records than Toronto (20-4) since Jan. 6. … Rockets G James Harden began the day second in the NBA with an average of 28.8 points per game on the season, but that figure was up to 36 per game in his past six. … Houston F Terrence Jones (illness) was inactive for a second consecutive game. … Houston continues its five-game road trip Wednesday in Philadelphia. Toronto entertains the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday as it continue a seven-game homestand.