Harden has 25 points, Rockets hand Knicks 14th straight loss

NEW YORK -- James Harden had 25 points and nine assists in just three quarters and the Houston Rockets beat New York 120-96 on Thursday night to extend the Knicks' longest single-season losing streak to 14 games.

The Rockets beat New York for the 11th straight time, though everyone is beating the Knicks these days. New York has lost 24 of its last 25 games to fall to an NBA-worst 5-34.

Trevor Ariza added 18 points for the Rockets, who improved to just 4-4 in their last eight. Harden didn't reach his NBA-leading average of 26.8 points only because he was limited to 31 minutes, sitting out the fourth quarter with Houston already leading by 24.

Rookie Travis Wear scored a season-high 21 points and Langston Galloway had 19 for the Knicks in his second game since being called up from the NBA Development League.

The Knicks' overmatched lineup managed some neat fast breaks and dunks, entertaining a sold-out crowd that featured five fans wearing paper bags over their heads sitting right behind one of the baselines, easily noticeable during the nationally televised broadcast.

But the Knicks couldn't sustain their brief runs. Without the injured Carmelo Anthony, Amare Stoudemire, and Andrea Bargnani, they sometimes had lineups on the floor more suited to summer league than the NBA.

They were close early in the second quarter before Harden scored or assisted on all five of Houston's baskets during a 13-2 run that pushed it to 43-30. He finished the half with a 3-pointer that made it 56-42.

Dwight Howard opened the third quarter with consecutive three-point plays to push the lead to 20. He had 11 in the period after a quiet first half and the Rockets coasted from there.

Donatas Motiejunas finished with 17 points and Howard had 13 points and 10 rebounds.

TIP-INS

Rockets: Houston hasn't lost to the Knicks since Jan. 26, 2009. ... In a strange bit of scheduling, the Rockets return home for one game before coming right back to New York. They host Utah on Saturday, then turn right around to visit Brooklyn on Monday.

Knicks: New York's longest losing streak ever is 20 games over two seasons. The Knicks lost 12 straight at the end of the 1984-85 season, then dropped the first eight games of the 1985-86 season even after landing Patrick Ewing with the No. 1 pick in the draft.

UP NEXT

Rockets: Host Utah on Saturday night.

Knicks: Host Charlotte on Saturday.