(Field Level Media) John Wall had 36 points and 11 assists, Bradley Beal added 32 points and the Washington Wizards rallied from an early 17-point deficit to defeat the visiting Houston Rockets 135-131 in overtime.
The Wizards overcame a season-high 54 points from Rockets guard James Harden.
Washington started the overtime with an 8-1 run capped when Otto Porter Jr. picked up a steal and fed Beal for a dunk with 1:50 left, and the Rockets got no closer than within three points. Houston shot 2 of 7 in overtime with four turnovers.
Harden missed three straight shots and turned the ball over twice in the final minutes of regulation but fed Clint Capela for an alley-oop that tied it, 125-125, with 9.8 seconds left. Wall had the ball knocked away on a jumper attempt with 1.2 seconds left, and he then blocked Eric Gordon’s jumper at the buzzer.
Markief Morris had 22 points and 10 rebounds as the Wizards bench out-scored the Rockets reserves 45-9.
Gordon had 36 points, and Capela had 17 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks for Houston, which has lost three straight games.
Harden had 11 assists, eight rebounds and 13 turnovers in 47 minutes.
The Rockets were without guard Chris Paul (strained hamstring) for a second consecutive game. Backup guard Gerald Green (sore right ankle) was also out.
Washington center Dwight Howard (gluteal soreness) remains out.
Harden scored 21 points in the third quarter as the Rockets went on an 18-4 run late in the quarter to take an eight-point lead, which was trimmed to four by the end of the frame.
The Rockets jumped out to a 17-point first-quarter lead behind Gordon and Harden, who combined for 25 points in the quarter. A 15-4 run pulled Washington within 34-28, but the Rockets pushed their lead to 42-30 by the end of the quarter as they hit seven 3-pointers.
It was the third time this season that the Wizards had given up 40 or more points in a quarter.
The Wizards rallied again in the second quarter and they led 67-65 at intermission.
