Rockets blast the Atlanta Hawks, 113-84

Posted: November 27, 2013 -- 10:25 pm CST.

HOUSTON, TX (Toyota Center) -- James Harden did not play. Jeremy Lin only played the first four minutes of the game before leaving with an injury (right knee contusion). However, despite Harden and Lin's not playing, the Houston Rockets cruised past the Atlanta Hawks 113-84 Wednesday night. The 29-point win is the Rockets' largest margin of victory this season.

The Rockets (11-5) never trailed in the ball game.

"It was great. These are the types of wins that we need - especially this (coming) when we play a lot of games," Dwight Howard said. "I think it was good for us to come out and jump on them early; and, then in the second half, we did the same thing. We've just got to build off of it."

Once again, Terrence Jones set the tone early. Jones scored the first points of the game after a pump fake and a driving slam dunk. After the Hawks (8-8) tied the game at 2 and at 4, Jones scored seven points (turnaround bank shot, driving layup, and a 3) during the Rockets' 11-2 run. Jones finished the quarter with nine points.

Teammate Francisco Garcia added a 3 point basket for a 18-6 lead.

Thanks to 63.2% (12 for 19 field goals, 5 for 9 3s) the Rockets led 30-19 after the first quarter.

Hawks' guard, Cartier Martin (from Houston area Aldine High School) kept the Hawks within striking distance in the second quarter by making all four of his three-point shots for 12 of the Hawks 26 second-quarter points.

The Rockets led 56-45 at halftime. Jones (14) and Chandler Parsons (12) led the Rockets in the first half.

The Rockets' offense slowed down in the third quarter. Houston shot 7 for 19 and had just three assists in the quarter. Meanwhile, the Hawks made 8 of 16 field goals (4 assists) and outscored the Rockets 22-21 in the third stanza.

Garcia and Brooks splashed in three point buckets early in the fourth quarter to crush any notion of a Hawks' comeback. Brooks went on a personal 8-0 run to boost the lead to 90-74.

Then, the rest of the Bench Brigade chimed in and ended the game with a 23-10 run for the 29 point victory.

Brooks scored 11 points in the fourth. Omri Casspi and Omer Asik each scored 7. Garcia added 5 and Ronnie Brewer and Donatas Motiejunas each chipped in three points. The five reserves scored all 36 of the Rockets' fourth-quarter points.

Garcia and Brooks tied for team-high scoring honors with 21 points each. The Bench Brigade combined for 67 of the Rockets' 113 points.

"It's just the way it is," said Aaron Brooks of the bench scoring. "We are a talented team. A lot of guys are working out and have a lot of energy that are ready to play. When Jeremy goes out, guys are stepping up and are ready to play."

"Aaron had two fantastic games at the Toyota Center," said Kevin McHale. "He's playing very well. He stays ready. Francisco...I was telling him, those first few shots go, everything else starts happening.

"As always, when you kind of go through a period where you don't shoot the ball very well, the dam finally breaks and water flows."

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