逮捕するs lose Harden but （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域 ロケット／急騰するs, move into first in East
NEW YORK (AP) - Admittedly 負かす／撃墜する in the doldrums, the Brooklyn 逮捕するs were behind by 18 points in いっそう少なく than five minutes.
By the end of the night, they were on 最高の，を越す of the Eastern 会議／協議会.
Kyrie Irving had 31 points and a season-high 12 補助装置s, and the 逮捕するs overcame the loss of James Harden to （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域 the Houston ロケット／急騰するs 120-108 on Wednesday night and move into first place in the East.
Harden sat out the fourth ４半期/4分の1 against his former team with 権利 hamstring tightness, finishing with 17 points, eight 回復するs and six 補助装置s.
The 逮捕するs put together the pivotal run without him, 得点する／非難する／２０ing 12 straight 中途の through the final period to turn a six-point 赤字 into a 107-101 lead.
Coach Steve Nash said the 逮捕するs will see how Harden feels Thursday before their game against Charlotte, but was 確信して the All-星／主役にする guard didn't have a long-称する，呼ぶ／期間／用語 傷害. Brooklyn has been without Kevin Durant since 中央の-February because of his own hamstring 緊張する.
Houston ロケット／急騰するs' Kevin Porter Jr. (3) and Jae'Sean Tate (8) defend against Brooklyn 逮捕するs' Kyrie Irving during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, March 31, 2021, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
"Any time someone goes 負かす／撃墜する it´s very 関心ing," Irving said. "Any time someone doesn´t play we definitely have to have that mentality that we´re still going to play at a very high level."
Joe Harris 追加するd 28 points for the 逮捕するs, who didn't even lead until the last half-minute of the third ４半期/4分の1, but 現れるd with their 19th 勝利，勝つ in 22 games, 改善するing to 26-9 since acquiring Harden from Houston on Jan. 14.
At 33-15, they are a half-game ahead of Philadelphia 頂上に the East. It´s the 最新の the 逮捕するs have led the East since they were 49-31 on April 13, 2003, によれば the Elias Sports Bureau.
Kevin Porter Jr. 得点する／非難する／２０d 20 points for the ロケット／急騰するs, who got Christian 支持を得ようと努めるd 支援する after 行方不明の the previous two games because of 傷害 and illness but were without John 塀で囲む because of a 膝 傷害.
Danuel House Jr. 追加するd 18 points and 支持を得ようと努めるd had 14, but he pointed the finger at himself after taking just three 発射s in the final period.
"Fourth ４半期/4分の1 we 肉親，親類d of get 沈滞した and if I´m going to be that franchise guy, that leader that I know I can be, I have to lead my team in the fourth," 支持を得ようと努めるd said. "I have to be better."
Nash said before the game his team had been flat lately and its level of play had dropped, and nothing changed in the first few minutes.
The ロケット／急騰するs jumped to a 24-6 lead, with an 8-for-9 start that 含むd makes on all five 3-point 試みる／企てるs. They barely 冷静な／正味のd off the 残り／休憩（する） of the ４半期/4分の1, going 15 for 19 (79%) and taking a 42-29 lead.
"We talked it over. They took the challenge and that´s what 事柄s. You can talk until you´re blue in the 直面する, if they don´t take the challenge it doesn´t 事柄," Nash said. "So our guys, they had pride and they had 尊敬（する）・点 for ea ch other and went out and competed and were unbelievable in the second half."
Brooklyn finally 支えるd a good stretch with 12-0 run in the third that 削減（する） a 13-point 赤字 to 82-81 and Houston went into the fourth up by one.
TIP-INS
ロケット／急騰するs: Houston used its 32nd different starting 顔触れ in 47 games. ... 塀で囲む struggled to 7-for-26 狙撃 in his last two games and sat out a workout Tuesday because of his 膝 苦痛. The ロケット／急騰するs 名簿（に載せる）／表（にあげる）d the 傷害 as a left 膝 effusion and it's unknown whether it will keep him out longer. "肉親，親類d of remains to be seen as far as the next step or how long it´ll be," coach Stephen Silas said. "Hopefully it will be just tonight and he´ll play in Boston."
逮捕するs: Brooklyn finished 11-2 in March, tying its 記録，記録的な／記録する in February 2004 for the best in franchise history with a 最小限 of 10 games played. ... Blake Griffin had 11 points.
TAKING THEIR SHOTS
ロケット／急騰するs guard Ben McLemore 地位，任命するd a picture of himself Tuesday after getting a coronavirus ワクチン 発射, with a caption "Dose #1!! On the road to normalcy." Silas said ワクチン接種s were made 利用できる to ロケット／急騰するs 従業員s, players and staff Tuesday, and the team 以前 had an （警察などへの）密告，告訴（状） call with the NBA to answer their questions about the ワクチンs.
"It was up to each individual guy to make the 決定／判定勝ち（する） whether they 手配中の，お尋ね者 to do it or not, but we were in 十分な support as an organization either way," Silas said.
UP NEXT
ロケット／急騰するs: Visit Boston on Friday.
逮捕するs: Host Charlotte on Thursday.
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Brooklyn 逮捕するs' Joe Harris celebrates after making a 3-point basket during the second half of the team's NBA basketball game against the Houston ロケット／急騰するs on Wednesday, March 31, 2021, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Houston ロケット／急騰するs' Christian 支持を得ようと努めるd (35) and Brooklyn 逮捕するs' Bruce Brown (1) reach for the ball during the second half of an NBA ba sketball game Wednesday, March 31, 2021, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Houston ロケット／急騰するs' Danuel House Jr., left, defends against Brooklyn 逮捕するs' James Harden during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, March 31, 2021, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Brooklyn 逮捕するs' Kyrie Irving (11) 運動s past Houston ロケット／急騰するs' Kevin Porter Jr. (3) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, March 31, 2021, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Houston ロケット／急騰するs' Jae'Sean Tate (8) dunks in 前線 of Brooklyn 逮捕するs' Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot (9) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, March 31, 2021, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
