HOUSTON — With James Harden injured, the Houston Rockets are figuring out different ways to make up for the offense the league’s leading scorer normally provides.
On Wednesday night, that meant Chris Paul took 29 shots and finished with a season-high 37 points to help the Rockets to a 121-112 win over the Portland Trail Blazers.
Paul tied his career high for field-goal attempts in a regulation game. He took 33 shots and scored 42 points in a double-overtime game with New Orleans in 2008.
His 37 points were the most by a Rocket besides Harden since Jeremy Lin had 38 against San Antonio on Dec. 10, 2012.
Paul, who made 13 field goals, was asked if he realized he’d come close to taking the most shots in his career.
“I don’t know,” he said. “It kind of felt like it. Like goodness. I missed a lot, too. That’s what I’m mad about.”
Portland coach Terry Stotts said Paul was tough to stop.
“He was exceptional,” Stotts said. “He really controlled the game, like he can do. His shot-making was as good as I’ve seen.”
Eric Gordon added 30 points as the Rockets withstood a late run to win their second straight.
The Blazers used a big run to cut a 14-point deficit to three with about three minutes left. Houston responded with a 6-2 run, capped by a 3-pointer from Paul, to make it 111-104 about a minute later.
Damian Lillard made a layup on the other end, but Paul cut through three defenders to make an off-balance layup to push the lead to 113-106.
The Blazers couldn’t get the ball in after a timeout, Houston got the ball back and Clint Capela added two free throws to secure the victory.
The Rockets won their second straight and improved to 3-2 in five games without Harden, who is out for at least two weeks with a hamstring injury.
Lillard scored 29 after missing the last two games with a strained right calf, and C.J. McCollum added 24 points as the Blazers saw a three-game winning streak snapped.
Paul had 11 assists, seven rebounds and three steals, and Capela added 13 points with eight rebounds.
Gerald Green scored all of Houston’s points in a 5-2 run that extended the lead to 103-89 midway through the fourth period.
Lillard scored the first seven points of an 11-0 spurt that got the Trail Blazers within 103-100 with about 3 1/2 minutes left.
