Houston Rockets 115 Phoenix Suns 112-Recap

Feb 23, 2014; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns shooting guard Gerald Green (14) guards Houston Rockets shooting guard James Harden (13) during the first half at US Airways Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Imagine a 7-game series between the Houston Rockets and Phoenix Suns: if the previous 2 matchups are any indication of what a playoff series would be like, then it may go down as an instant classic. The two teams combined for 47 fast break points, shot over 50 percent from the field, and 16 made 3’s as the Rockets escaped with a 115-112 win.

Dwight Howard led the way with 25 points and 9 rebounds, while James Harden scored 23 points, dished out 7 dimes, and recorded 5 rebounds playing with a hyper-extended elbow. Patrick Beverley scored a career high 20 points, including 5 in the last minute, and Terrence Jones added 15 points and 7 rebounds in just 24 minutes.

The storyline of the night would have been on Goran Dragic if the Suns were able to hold on to an 11 point 4th quarter lead. Dragic scored a career high 35 points, including going 5 for 8 from behind the arc, while Gerald Green scored 18 of his 23 points in the 3rd quarter. Markieff Morris added 21 points off the bench.

Houston Rockets

STARTERS

MIN

FG

3PFG

FT

OREB

DREB

REB

AST

STL

BLK

TO

PF

+/-

PTS

24

7-10

0-0

1-1

1

6

7

0

1

1

3

1

-6

15

39

5-12

1-4

2-2

1

5

6

7

2

0

2

1

+4

13

34

10-12

0-0

5-7

3

6

9

2

0

2

4

1

+10

25

33

6-12

1-2

7-8

1

2

3

3

3

0

3

4

-2

20

42

6-15

2-7

9-9

1

4

5

7

3

0

4

5

+14

23

BENCH

MIN

FG

3PFG

FT

OREB

DREB

REB

AST

STL

BLK

TO

PF

+/-

PTS

24

2-4

0-1

3-4

1

4

5

0

0

0

1

4

+9

7

10

3-5

1-2

0-0

0

2

2

0

0

0

2

0

-6

7

13

1-2

0-0

1-1

2

1

3

0

1

0

1

1

-9

3

20

1-6

0-0

0-0

0

3

3

6

0

0

2

2

+1

2

DNP COACH’S DECISION

DNP COACH’S DECISION

DNP COACH’S DECISION

DNP COACH’S DECISION

DNP COACH’S DECISION

DNP COACH’S DECISION

TOTALS

FG

3PFG

FT

OREB

DREB

REB

AST

STL

BLK

TO

PF

PTS

Fast break points:   21
Points in the paint:   64
Total Team Turnovers (Points off turnovers):   22 (29)

Phoenix Suns

STARTERS

MIN

FG

3PFG

FT

OREB

DREB

REB

AST

STL

BLK

TO

PF

+/-

PTS

35

2-11

2-7

0-0

0

5

5

1

2

1

2

3

-8

6

29

4-10

1-2

0-0

4

3

7

2

2

0

3

2

-10

9

24

4-7

0-0

0-0

1

6

7

0

1

0

0

2

+6

8

33

8-18

2-4

5-7

1

3

4

1

2

0

3

0

-3

23

42

14-20

5-8

2-5

0

0

0

3

3

0

3

3

-2

35

BENCH

MIN

FG

3PFG

FT

OREB

DREB

REB

AST

STL

BLK

TO

PF

+/-

PTS

35

7-11

0-1

7-9

2

5

7

2

2

1

3

3

+1

21

19

2-6

1-3

3-3

1

2

3

3

2

0

0

3

+7

8

1

0-0

0-0

0-0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

-3

0

21

1-3

0-1

0-0

0

1

1

4

0

0

2

1

-3

2

DNP COACH’S DECISION

DNP COACH’S DECISION

DNP COACH’S DECISION

DNP COACH’S DECISION

TOTALS

FG

3PFG

FT

OREB

DREB

REB

AST

STL

BLK

TO

PF

PTS

Fast break points:   26
Points in the paint:   42
Total Team Turnovers (Points off turnovers):   16 (18)

The Suns scored 40 and 37 points, respectively in the 2nd and 3rd quarters, and shot over 62 percent from the field during that stretch.

With the Suns leading 110-108 with 40 seconds left, Patrick Beverley hit a big 3-pointer of a Harden pass, and came up with a huge rebound on the other end, resulting in 2 made free throws to extend the Rockets lead to 113-110. Dragic made a layup to cut the lead to 113-112, and after Donatas Motiejunas drained 2 free throws with 4 seconds left to put the Rockets back up by 3, Dragic missed his final 3-pointer, sealing the win for the Rockets.