Guard-forward Malcolm Brogdon was once again the leader of the Indiana Pacers’ attack, scoring 35 points, including four 3-pointers, which led to a 114-107 victory over the Houston Rockets.
Brogdon’s scoring inspiration, he scored 17 goals in the first half when he was perfect, once again made the difference in favor of the Pacers (6-2), who also had the support of Lithuanian power forward Domantas Sabonis by getting a double -Double of 22 points, 12 rebounds and distributed another four assists.
Backup guard Justin Holiday finished sixth for the Pacers after scoring 20 points and starter Victor Oladipo reached 18 to complete the list of four Indiana team players with double-digit numbers and the second straight victory.
The Rockets also had the solidity and consistency of point guard John Wall, who had 28 points, although he missed all three of his 3-point attempts, grabbed six rebounds and dished out three assists.
Backup guard Eric Gordon reached 20 points as the Rockets’ second-highest scorer who was in the game the entire time, but they lacked the decisive goals.
Those that Wall could not get, much less star guard James Harden who finished with a double-double 15 points, 12 assists and four rebounds.
But Harden for the third consecutive game did not have his best scoring inspiration when he scored 5 of 14 field goals and missed 4 of 5 3-point attempts, which in the end were going to weigh like a slab on the scoreboard that left the Rockets (2-4 ) with the second consecutive defeat and the third out of his field (0-3).
Veteran center DeMarcus Cousins asserted his presence under the hoops and was on the verge of a double-double by scoring nine points, grabbed 14 rebounds -12 defensively-, gave an assist, recovered two balls and put up four blocks.
