(Field Level Media) Taurean Prince collected season highs of 27 points and 12 rebounds as the Brooklyn Nets overcame a 15-point deficit and beat the visiting Houston Rockets 123-116 last night.
The Nets improved to 2-3 and rebounded nicely from Wednesday’s 10-point loss to Indiana by outscoring Houston 93-71 over the final 32:31.
Caris LeVert added 25 points for the Nets, who shot 49.4 percent while not being led in scoring by Kyrie Irving for the first time this season. Irving finished with 22 points and 10 assists to post his first double-double as a Net.
Prince posted his third career game with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds and shot 9 for 17 from the floor. The forward also made 6 of 10 3-pointers as the Nets shot 59.4 percent (19 of 32) from behind the arc.
James Harden scored 36 points for the Rockets but struggled to get a shooting rhythm most of the night. After getting 59 in Wednesday’s wild 159-158 win at Washington, Harden shot 10 of 31 from the floor and missed 14 of 16 3-point attempts.
Russell Westbrook flirted with a triple-double with 27 points, eight assists and seven rebounds but the Rockets shot 41.4 percent and were 12 of 48 (25 percent) on 3-pointers.
Brooklyn held a 15-point lead late in the third but the Rockets trimmed it to 104-98 on two free throws by Harden with 5:32 remaining. Irving’s 3-pointer with 4:53 remaining pushed the lead to 109-98 but Houston was within 109-103 on Harden’s uncontested dunk with 4:10 to go.
The Nets sealed it when Irving connected with Prince, who hit an open 3-pointer from the left wing for a 114-106 lead with two minutes to go. Irving made it 117-108 with a step-back 3-pointer from the right corner with 55.9 seconds remaining.
Harden scored 11 points as the Rockets forced 10 turnovers and took a 33-24 lead after the first quarter. The Rockets ended the quarter with an impressive 18-1 run over the last 4:29 and forced Irving into five turnovers.
Houston expanded its lead to 45-30 on a jumper by Danuel House Jr. with 8:21 remaining in the first half but the Nets ended the half with a 31-14 run to take a 61-59 lead into intermission.
Westbrook’s steal of Brooklyn’s inbounds pass and subsequent dunk forged a 68-68 tie with 8:16 remaining in the third quarter. The Nets countered with a 17-5 run and took an 85-73 lead on Prince’s layup with 3:48 remaining in the period and carried a 95-83 lead into the fourth.