James Harden, Rockets Fend Off Hawks Despite Fourth-Quarter Flurry

Harden led the Rockets with 39 points, but he made shot just 9-34 from the field and 4-20 from three in Houston's victory.

The Rockets appeared to be cruising to their third straight win on Wednesday night as they zoomed out to a 77-62 lead at halftime against Trae Young and the Hawks. James Harden poured in 22 points in the first quarter while Houston contained Young, and Atlanta seemed to have no answers for the NBA's leading scorer. The tide turned after halftime. 

Atlanta held the Rockets to 45 second-half points on Wednesday, cutting Houston's lead to just three with four minutes to play. But Harden and Co. were able to slow the Hawks' momentum late. Eric Gordon drilled a critical three while P.J. Tucker came up large on the defensive end, and Harden's supporting cast dragged the Rockets to the finish line in their 122-115 victory. It wasn't pretty, but Houston advanced to 25–11 on Wednesday ahead of Russell Westbrook's return to Oklahoma City.

Here are three takeaways from Wednesday's victory. 

Harden Struggles After Hot Start

James Harden finished the Rockets' win over the Hawks on Nov. 30 with 60 points in three quarters, and the two-time scoring champion picked up right where he left off against Atlanta on Wednesday. 

Harden banged home three triples en route to 22 first-quarter points, decimating the Hawks defense on nearly every possession. Atlanta began the night attempting to guard Harden one-on-one, but The Beard torched Young (and really any Hawks defender) after engineering a slew of switches. Hawks head coach Lloyd Pierce moved to a trap to close the first quarter, but the new scheme didn't result in any defensive success. Harden ripped off four assists in the final 1:20 of the first quarter, including two dimes to Isaiah Hartenstein for dunks. Harden's wizardry gave Houston a 45-29 lead after the first quarter. 

Harden finished Wednesday night with his 15th career 40-point triple-double–trailing only Oscar Robertson for the most in NBA history–though he'll likely want to forget the final three quarters at State Farm Arena in Atlanta. Harden's shot completely abandoned him after the opening 12 minutes. He missed 22 of his final 25 shots on the evening, and he tallied eight turnovers in the Rockets' victory. Atlanta guard Kevin Huerter did a nice job on Harden in the second half, and the Hawks began to shade effectively toward Harden without leaving shooters completely wide open. Harden's cold stretch on Wednesday was likely an outlier, though it does remind us of potential dry spells that could arrive in the postseason. Harden may need his teammates to pick him up on occasion in April and May. 

Capela Keeps Running 

Clint Capela was integral in keeping the Rockets' attack afloat even as Harden struggled for much of Wednesday night. The 25-year-old center finished Houston's win with 22 points and 22 rebounds, securing his fourth 20-20 game this season. Wednesday's effort mirrored Capela's previous two outings since returning from a right heel contusion on Dec. 31. Houston's big man thrived in transition, registering numerous fast-break dunks as he beat Atlanta's frontcourt down the floor. Capela's speed and athleticism remains his best asset.

Clint Capela continues to get easy buckets in transition, though he did cost James Harden an assist here.

25-17 #Rockets midway through the first. Harden has 13 points. pic.twitter.com/NYWo6JrLTs

— Michael Shapiro (@mshap2) January 9, 2020

Capela has been arguably the Rockets' best player since New Year's Eve. He's averaging 22.7 points and 15.3 rebounds per game in his last three outings, and his 14.2 rebounds per game trails only Andre Drummond and Rudy Gobert in 2019-20. Capela can be a major difference-maker in the postseason with more performances like Wednesday night. 

Trae Young Impresses

Atlanta's second-year guard got off to a rough start on Wednesday night, missing seven of his first ten shots as the Rockets sprinted out to a double-digit lead. But Young quickly found his stroke in the second half, nearly leading Atlanta to what would have been its best win of 2019-20. Young finished the contest with his first-career 40-point triple-double, pairing 42 points with 13 rebounds and 10 assists. The Oklahoma product pulled off his best Harden impression with 18 free-throw attempts, and Young banged home four third-quarter threes as the Hawks climbed back into the contest. Young is in a frustrating situation. Atlanta's third straight lottery appearance is a near-guarantee. But Young's performance on Saturday should provide at least a modicum of optimism for 2020 and beyond. 

Up Next: at Oklahoma City on Thursday

The Rockets will finish their two-game road trip with the second leg of a back-to-back in Oklahoma City on Thursday. Russell Westbrook sat out Houston's victory over Atlanta on Wednesday, and he is expected to be active against the Thunder. Westbrook guided the Rockets to a win over Oklahoma City on Oct. 28, finishing the evening with 21 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists.

Tip-off from Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City is slated for 8:30 p.m. CT.