Rockets, Warriors end year with blast

Harden skyrockets with 41 pts; Durant, Thompson, Curry Explode with 82; Cavs fall to NBA worst 8-29 record

NEW ORLEANS – James Harden scored 41 points, becoming the first NBA player since Oscar Robertson to record at least 35 points and five assists in seven consecutive games, to power the Houston Rockets to a 108-104 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans Saturday night.

Harden had 26 points in the first half and reached 40 for the third straight game. He was 7 for 16 from 3-point range, made all 14 free throws and added six assists.

Anthony Davis looked sluggish a night after scoring a season-high 48 points in a victory over Dallas, taking only five shots in the first half and finishing with 22 points. Julius Randle led the Pelicans with 23 points and 11 rebounds.

In Portland, Klay Thompson scored 32 points, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant each had 25 and Golden State avenged a loss from earlier this week, beating Portland 115-105.

Golden State, stinging from a 110-109 home loss to the Blazers on Thursday, outscored Portland in each of the first three quarters to avoid its second three-game losing streak of the season.

Damian Lillard made six 3-pointers and scored 40 points for Portland. It was the fifth time this season Lillard, who made the go-ahead 3-pointer in the victory at Oracle Arena, has scored at least 40 points.

In Phoenix, Jamal Murray scored 46 points and made a career-high nine 3-pointers to carry Western Conference-leading Denver over Phoenix 122-118.

Murray was 16 for 24 from the field with the second-most points he’s scored in a game this season. He scored 31 a night earlier in a win over San Antonio.

Nikola Jokic added 23 points, nine assists and eight rebounds for Denver, while Malik Beasley came off the bench to hit a career-high five 3-pointers for his 15 points.

Rookie Deandre Ayton scored a season-high 33 points and added 14 rebounds for the Suns. Ayton made 12-of-13 shots in the second quarter for 24 points, the highest-scoring quarter by a Suns rookie and sixth-highest overall in franchise history.

Elsewhere,  Trae Young and Vince Carter each scored 21 points, John Collins added 14 points and 12 rebounds, and Atlanta beat Cleveland 115-105.

Atlanta, enjoying a rare run of success in its first season of rebuilding under new coach Lloyd Pierce, has won five of six. At 11-24, the Hawks have the fourth-worst mark in the Eastern Conference, but they’ve done better recently compared to Cleveland, which dropped its sixth in a row.

Cedi Osman finished with 22 points, and Larry Nance Jr. and Collin Sexton each had 18 for the Cavs. Cleveland fell to 8-29, worst in the NBA.