There was no stopping James Harden Monday night. The Toyota Center was his own personal playground as he finished with 33 points, nine assists and seven rebounds.
The Sixers were never really in the game and provided little resilience to Harden and company, falling 115-88 to the Houston Rockets and losing for the ninth time in their first 10 games of the season.
Neither team played exceptional defense, allowing numerous open shots and drives to the basket.
Joel Embiid had 13 points and 10 rebounds for the 76ers. Ersan Ilyasova also had 13 points for the 76ers.
A 29-point deficit was the 76ers’ largest. The Sixers, who last led at 12-11, trailed 65-52 at halftime and didn’t challenge the Rockets (6-4), who were playing only their third home game of the season.
The Rockets have a six-game winning streak against the 76ers. Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni was an associate head coach for the 76ers from last December to the end of the 2015-16 regular season.
NBA
A three-pointer by Dario Saric gave the Sixers their largest lead at 12-7 with 8:38 remaining in the first quarter. It was pretty much all Houston after that.
Inside the box score
• Harden made all eight of his first-quarter field goals – two three-pointers – and all five free throw attempts. The 23 first-quarter points is the most in a quarter by a Rocket player this season.
• Whether the 76ers’ defense improved, or Harden was just in a funk, Harden was 0 for 5 from the field in the second quarter.
• The Sixers were outrebounded, 56-38.
• Jahlil Okafor was stone cold in the first half, going 1 of 9 from the field and 2 of 11 for the game.
• After shooting 11 of 25 from the field in the first quarter, the 76ers made only 9 of 26 second-quarter shots to trail 65-52 at the half.
Sharing time
Since the Sixers did not play on Sunday, centers Embiid and Okafor both played on Monday with Embiid getting the start. Embiid played 22:31 and Okafor played 21:30.
Monday was the first of three games in a four-day period for the 76ers.
Covington a difference maker?
Even though Robert Covington was scoreless at the time, the 76ers were leading 12-10 when he picked up his second foul with 8:03 remaining in the first quarter and went to the bench. Covington, who once played for the Rockets, was replaced in the lineup by Hollis Thompson.
When Covington returned with 9:10 remaining in the first half, the 76ers trailed 44-31.
Upon further review
A three-pointer from just past midcourt from T.J. McConnell at the end of the first quarter was disallowed following a review of the play.
McConnell didn’t get his shot off before the quarter ended. If counted, McConnell’s three-pointer would have trimmed the Rockets’ lead to 38-29.
Up next
The 76ers are back at home at the Wells Fargo Center on Wednesday versus the Washington Wizards.