7 Rockets score in double digits in Rockets 128-104 win over Orlando Magic

Posted: February 7, 2017 -- 11:40 pm CST.

HOUSTON, TX (Toyota Center) -- The Houston Rockets toyed with the Orlando Magic Tuesday night in a 128-104 victory in front of an announced crowd of 15,514 fans. James Harden scored a team-high 25 points (0 in the fourth quarter). Trevor Ariza scored 14 of his 20 points in the first quarter. Five other Rockets scored in double digits.

With the win tonight, the Rockets improve to 38-17 on the season.

After trailing the Magic 20-11, the Rockets outscored the Magic 24-8 to lead 35-28 after the first quarter.

The Rockets held the Magic without a field goal for the first 5:08 of the second quarter and expanded the lead to 20 (52-32). The lead grew to as much as 23 points (60-37) before the Rockets got a little lax the final minutes of the quarter which helped the Magic trim the Rockets' lead to 16 (70-54) at halftime.

"You know we play a type of game where you're up and down the floor; and, it's a lot of, you know, 'if you don't hit some threes', which you know we were hitting at a high percentage," said Rockets' head coach Mike D'Antoni. "You know on the back side of that - that's going to be something we'll miss. They missed three in a row. We don't play and defense; and, it gets down to 16 (points) at halftime.

"We've just got to do a better job."

The Magic scored the first four points of the third quarter to pull within 12 points; but, a three-point basket by Patrick Beverley boosted the lead to 15.

Harden and his teammates slowly stretched the lead the next five minutes of the quarter to 20 points (88-68) with 4:56 remaining. But, a cold-spell on offense combined with porous defense enabled the Magic to outscore the Rockets 18-6 and climb within 10 points (94-84) at the end of three quarters.

Orlando's Evan Fournier nailed a 16-foot jumper to begin the fourth quarter which sliced the Rockets' lead to 8 points.

With Harden on the bench, the Rockets managed to keep the Magic at arms' length with a lead anywhere from 8 to 13 points.

Harden checked into the game at the 8:41 mark and the Rockets leading 102-93. The teams traded baskets and turnovers for three minutes before Harden dished to Eric Gordon for a three-point basket. Then, Harden dished to a cross-court pass to Ariza for another three point bucket to boost the lead to 15 (112-97) with 4:09 remaining in the game.

The Magic never got closer as the Rockets cruised to the 24 point win.

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