This article is more than 3 years old

This article is more than 3 years old

The Houston Rockets didn’t seem too impressed with their latest entry in the NBA record books.

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The Rockets made an NBA-record 24 three-pointers, led by Eric Gordon’s 7-for-12 effort, and beat the New Orleans Pelicans 122-100 on Friday night.

“We just played how we play,” said Harden, who shot six for 12 on threes and finished with 29 points. “It didn’t feel no different. We shot the basketball, open threes and, you know, they went in.”

Harden also had 11 rebounds and 13 assists for his sixth triple-double of the season and 15th of his career passing Hakeem Olajuwon for the most in franchise history.

“The best player in Rockets history, The Dream,” Harden said. “For me, it’s an unbelievable accomplishment. Credit to my team-mates for knocking down their shots. I’m just trying to make an impact on the game, that’s all.”

Ryan Anderson made Houston’s 24th three-pointer of the game with 32 seconds remaining, and the Toyota Center crowd erupted in celebration of the record.

Gordon confidently predicted that the best is yet to come.

“I wouldn’t doubt before the season’s over that we’ll break that record again,” Gordon said. “I think it’ll happen again, for sure. A lot of teams like to load up and not let us get layups and force us to shoot threes so why not?”

In picking up their ninth straight win, the Rockets attempting 61 threes, making 39.3% of them to shatter their own record of 50 set earlier this year. They broke the NBA record for threes made in a game, shared by Houston in 2013 and Orlando in 2009.

“They’ve added another dimension to the game because of their ability to be able to shoot the way they do,” Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni said.

Trevor Ariza added 20 points and Patrick Beverley had 13 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists for Houston.

Anthony Davis scored 19 points in 22 minutes for New Orleans and rested much of the second half after Houston built a lead as big as 24 points. Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry later said Davis was kicked in his lower leg and was limping so he held him from playing in the fourth quarter.

Houston attempted 31 threes in the first two quarters, an NBA record for a half. The Rockets made 14 threes in the first half, entering the break with a 45.2% clip. Houston entered the game attempting 37.6 threes per game, tops in the league, and making 38.4%.

Gentry said Houston’s offense is fueled by Harden’s abilities as a playmaker.

“He controls the game,” Gentry said. “The game is played at his pace. He’s leading the league in assists and he has a lot of shooters around him. He can score and he’s playing like an MVP candidate. If you look around the league right now, he’s as good as anybody playing.”

Pelicans point guard Tim Frazier played through a right wrist sprain in his hometown, several miles from his alma mater of Strake Jesuit.

There was plenty of familiarity between the two teams. Three Rockets players Gordon, Ariza and Anderson played previously for New Orleans, while the Pelicans’ Terrence Jones and Omer Asik are former Rockets.

Additionally, Pelicans coach Gentry served as an assistant for Rockets coach D’Antoni in Phoenix.