Page 22 - ARUBA TODAY

A22 SPORTS
Monday 29 January 2018

Harden leads Rockets to 113-102 victory over Suns

HOUSTON (AP) — James quarter when Harden was given the first technical
Harden had 27 points and slow to shake off an appar- and appeared to continue
10 rebounds to lead the ent leg injury sustained dur- talking to the official while
Houston Rockets to a 113- ing a jump-ball tangle with the teams were walking to
102 victory over the Phoe- Josh Jackson. Harden, who the other end of the court.
nix Suns on Sunday. missed seven games earlier It was the second straight
Harden fell two assists shy of this month with a hamstring game a Suns player was
his third triple-double of the strain, finished the game. ejected. Booker was tossed
season. The Rockets beat Devin Booker had 31 points in a loss to the Knicks on Fri-
the Suns for the 14th time in and 10 assists for Phoenix, day.
their past 16 meetings, in- shooting 5 for 9 from be- Chris Paul added 17 points
cluding seven straight. yond the arc. He scored 21 and five assists for Houston,
Houston led 60-53 at half- points in the second half to making all nine free throws.
time and outscored the keep the Suns close. TIP-INS
Suns 32-24 in the third quar- T.J. Warren added 24 points Suns: Phoenix center Alex
ter to provide enough of for the Suns. Len missed his second
a lead to hand Phoenix a Phoenix center Tyson straight game with an ankle
fourth straight loss. Chandler returned to ac- injury and will be a game-
Rockets forward Trevor Ari- tion after missing two of the time decision for Monday
za injured his left leg early three previous games due night’s game in Memphis.
in the first quarter after to illness. Chandler had 11 In his place, Dragan Bender
colliding under the basket points and 15 rebounds in played 25 minutes off the
with Marquese Chriss on a 30 minutes, picking up his bench, getting five points
dunk attempt and landing first double-double of 2018. and four rebounds.
awkwardly. Ariza was slow His last double-double Rockets: Luc Mbah a
to get up, made both free came on Dec. 31 in a 123- Moute had 13 points in
throws and then, after jog- 110 loss to Philadelphia. 32 minutes off the bench.
ging down the court in ap- Suns center Greg Monroe Mbah a Moute, usually
parent pain, committed a was ejected late in the known for his versatile de-
foul to stop play and check third quarter after picking fense, has scored in dou-
himself out of the game to up two technical fouls for Houston Rockets guard James Harden, right, collides with Phoe- ble figures in three of his
head to the locker room. arguing with an official fol- nix Suns guard Devin Booker during the first half of an NBA bas- past four games. Houston
Houston had another scary lowing an offensive foul ketball game, Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018, in Houston. is 9-1 when Mbah a Moute
moment late in the fourth called on him. Monroe was (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith) scores in double figures. q
Antetokounmpo, Bucks beat Bulls 110-96

By ANDREW SELIGMAN game and used a big Milwaukee got back-to-
AP Sports Writer second quarter to build back 3-pointers in the
CHICAGO (AP) — Giannis a 19-point halftime lead, opening minutes of the pe-
Antetokounmpo scored 27 sending Chicago to its riod from the 40-year-old
points and the Milwaukee fourth straight loss. Terry and bumped the lead
Bucks beat the Chicago Denzel Valentine scored to 20 near the end of the
Bulls 110-96 on Sunday. 18 for the Bulls. Lauri Mark- half.
The All-Star forward added kanen added 17 points Sterling Brown and Middle-
nine rebounds and eight and 10 rebounds, but Zach ton nailed 3s and a cut-
assists to help the Bucks im- LaVine had another rough ting Antetokounmpo threw
prove to 3-0 since interim outing. The two-time slam down a dunk to make it
coach Joe Prunty replaced dunk champion finished 56-36. The Bucks then shook
the fired Jason Kidd. with six points on 2-of-11 off 3s for Chicago by Val-
Khris Middleton added 20 shooting in his eighth game entine and Nikola Mirotic,
points and seven rebounds. back from a torn ACL in his with former Bull Tony Snell
Jason Terry came off the left knee, after going 3 of hitting one of his own and Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton, left, drives against
bench to score a season- 17 in a loss to the Los Ange- Antetokounmpo burying Chicago Bulls guard Justin Holiday during the first half of an NBA
high 12 points, nailing four les Lakers on Friday. a turnaround jumper from basketball game Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018, in Chicago.
of Milwaukee's 13 3-point- The Bucks took a 61-42 lead around the foul line to (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
ers. to the locker room after make it a 19-point game. he expects to know a tar- major knee surgery of his
The Bucks shot just over outscoring Chicago 35-22 TIP-INS get date this week for his young career. q
53 percent overall for the in the second quarter. Bucks: F Jabari Parker said return from the second