Harden scores 44 to help Rockets beat Pacers

James Harden scored 19 of his 44 points in the fourth quarter and Josh Smith added 18 to help the Houston Rockets beat Indiana 110-100 on Monday night, handing the host Pacers their sixth straight loss.Indiana's sinking playoff hopes took another big hit despite 23 points from C.J. Watson.Harden, one of the favorites for the NBA MVP award, was 10-for-21 from the field and 21-for-22 from the free-throw line.Evan Turner had 19 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds, and visiting Boston snapped a three-game losing streak that had dropped it out of playoff position. ...Avery Bradley scored 20 points for the Celtics, who moved a half-game ahead of Charlotte for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. ...Pau Gasol had 27 points and 12 rebounds as the Bulls moved into a tie with Toronto for third place in the East. ...Zach Randolph scored 23 points, Marc Gasol had 21 and Memphis secured a playoff spot with the road win. ...Rookie guard Zach LaVine scored 27 points, including two three-pointers to force overtime, and visiting Minnesota rallied past Utah for only its third win this month. ...The Pacers' two-time All-Star told reporters that although he's eager to clear the final...