In a battle of Rockets’ past versus future, second-year guard Jalen Green had a team-high 27 points and 7 assists as Houston outlasted former star James Harden and visiting Philadelphia, 132-123 (box score). Despite going 0-of-7 on 3-pointers, Green shot a respectable 45% from the field thanks to a 9-of-13 showing (69.2%) from inside the arc, and he also drew 10 free-throw attempts, making nine.
Perennial All-Star center and MVP candidate Joel Embiid led the Sixers with 39 points on 12-of-21 shooting (57.1%), but he fouled out at the end of Monday’s first overtime on a Kevin Porter Jr. drive. From that point, Houston outscored Philadelphia (12-12) by 10 points and won the game in a second overtime with relative ease.
Harden had 21 points and a team-high 7 assists for the 76ers, but he struggled in his first game back after missing a month with a right foot tendon strain, shooting just 4-of-19 (21.1%) from the field.
Porter added 24 points and 6 for the Rockets, making 4-of-8 on 3-pointers (50.0%) and blocking a key shot by Harden late in regulation. Rookie forward Jabari Smith Jr. had another double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds on 3-of-6 shooting from 3-point range (50.0%), including two big 3-pointers in the overtime sessions.
Fellow rookie Tari Eason tallied 18 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 steals in 21 minutes off the bench, making 7-of-11 shots (63.6%) and 2-of-3 on 3-pointers (66.7%). On the whole, it was another encouraging showing for many of the young and developing Rockets (7-17), who have won four of their last seven games.
Scroll on for highlights, analysis, and postgame interviews at Toyota Center. Houston returns to action Thursday in San Antonio for its final road game before Christmas, with tipoff at 7:30 p.m. Central.