Houston got out of the gates quickly in this one, putting together a 32-point first quarter, paced by off-season free agent acquisition Trevor Ariza. The California native connected on five of his first six field goal attempts, including four three pointers, on his way to 14 first quarter points. The three ball was very friendly to the entire Rockets team early on, as they shot a sizzling 70% from the three point line hitting on seven of their first 10 attempts.
The Sixers however, found a way to claw back into the game in the 2nd quarter, after being down by 13 at the end of the first. Backup point guard Alexey Shved came off the bench to provide Philly with a much-needed spark. This boded well for a Sixers team, who struggles to find offensive production on just about a nightly basis. The two teams took turns on the seesaw for most of the 2nd period, as the Rockets took a 55-54 lead into the locker room.
The beginning of the third quarter belonged to the Rockets, as they jumped out to a quick nine-point lead in the first three and a half minutes of the quarter. The Rockets were able to get stops and get out in transition leading to easy fast break points and fouls on the Sixers. All-Star guard James Harden also had a strong 3rd quarter as he posted 13 points in the quarter alone. The Sixers kept fighting though, as Tony Wroten got to the basket at will and some magnificent defensive plays by rookie center Nerlens Noel, who stuffed a James Harden dunk at the rim as the third quarter buzzer sounded.
Despite a valiant effort and only a five-point deficit heading into the fourth, the Sixers could not sustain their momentum. Talent took over in this one, as James Harden turned it on finishing with 35 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists. Trevor Ariza also chipped in 24 points, including six three pointers, leading the Rockets to a 104-93 victory. Tony Wroten who posted 20 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists led the Sixers in a losing effort. The Rockets move to 4-0 on the season and are headed to South Beach for a showdown with the 3-0 Miami Heat. While the Sixers have off until Wednesday when they face the Orlando Magic.
Full Game Highlights
https://youtu.be/NDmLxkmUDLY
