More history from Harden as Rockets roast hapless Hawks

ATLANTA, Georgia - Chris Paul wasn't concerned that Houston would keep struggling to hit shots on Tuesday night.

"In the first half we weren't making anything," he said. "We looked, and it was tied up and we were down two at some point. But once we start making shots, we can blow this game open, man. That's what I always say. 'If we're not making shots, you better go on a run on us.'"

James Harden had 31 points and 10 assists and Clint Capela added 26 points and 11 rebounds as the visiting Rockets won their third straight game with a 121-105 victory over the Atlanta Hawks.

Harden also carved a piece of NBA history, becoming the first player to score at least 30 points against every team in the league in the same season.

The Hawks, led by Trae Young's 21 points and 12 assists and John Collins' 20 points and 10 rebounds, are rebuilding and likely headed for the draft lottery. Houston is third in the Western Conference.

Harden, the league's top scorer, is trying to become the first player since Michael Jordan in 1988-89 to average at least 30 points, seven assists, six rebounds and two steals.

Atlanta had no player able to defend him for long as he finished 8 for 18 from the field and 11 of 12 from the foul line.

Harden also set a new NBA single-season high of 890 attempts beyond the arc, four more than Stephen Curry took in 2015-16.

Paul, who last month joined Oscar Robertson, Magic Johnson, John Stockton and Jason Kidd as the only players with at least 17,000 career points, 9,000 assists and 4,000 rebounds, had 13 points, 11 assists, three steals and just one turnover.

"We get most of the shots that we want every night," Paul said. "It's just a matter of whether or not they go in. We just keep trying to turn the defense and push the tempo and we feel like we can make shots."

Capela recorded his sixth straight double-double and 37th overall.

"Their second-half execution was tough," Collins said. "I think they turned it up a little bit, hit a lot of tough shots and that pushed the lead out. With a team like that, if they get a lead, they know how to keep it."

Houston struggled beyond the arc in the first half, missing 13 of its first 15 attempts, and was just 4 for 21 entering the third quarter.

But just as they did on Sunday with 21 3s in a win over Minnesota, the Rockets came out of the break quickly, finishing the period with eight 3s to take charge of the game.

The Hawks never had a chance the rest of the way, letting Houston push the lead to 93-78 early in the fourth.

Atlanta took a two-point lead early in the third on Dewayne Dedmon's 3, but it lasted just a few seconds.

PJ Tucker, Paul and Harden each followed with a 3 to make it 68-61. The Hawks called timeout before Harden and Tucker each hit a 3 to push the lead back to double digits.

Harden fed Capela for a dunk that made it 78-67, and Atlanta coach Lloyd Pierce asked for another timeout. It did little to slow Houston, which went up 104-84 on Paul's 3.

Capela's three-point play in the second quarter made it 53-42 for the game's first double-digit lead on an 11-1 Houston run.

"We have a lot of knockdown shooters," Harden said. "Offensively, we can get it going at any moment. If we can sustain our defensive pressure for an entire game, then we can put on a lot of pressure."

Associated Press