Rockets set a franchise record by overcoming a 25-point deficit to beat Spurs 109–107

Russell Westbrook scored 31 points (11/25 FG, 1/7 3s, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, one steal and one block), James Harden had 28 points (10/29 FG, 4/13 3s, 8 rebounds, 7 assists, one steal and one block) and the Houston Rockets set a franchise record by overcoming a 25-point deficit to beat the San Antonio Spurs 109–107 on Monday night.

“Sometimes you’ve got to want it more than the other team,” said Westbrook pointing out what stimulated them to chase the game and change the outcome. “It’s that simple. No plays or no possessions or no shots can change that.”

“My confidence is never gone, no matter if I go 0 for 20 or whatever,” said Harden, who struggled early in the game shooting 4/17 in the first half. “I’m always going to shoot the ball and be aggressive. Early my shot wasn’t falling … and then other guys stepped up.”

LaMarcus Aldridge led San Antonio with 19 points and 13 rebounds, and Forbes had 18 points for the Spurs. Dejounte Murray and Derrick White had each 16 points and 3 assists. Rudy Gay had a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds. DeMar DeRozan had 12 points, five rebounds and five assists.

“Some ways it’s like your worst nightmare to go up 20 quickly because you know the thing is going to turn to some degree,” San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said. “So the way it was an even game down the stretch is pretty much what you’d expect most of the time.”

“They just picked it up,” DeRozan said about what led to this result. “We kind of slacked. It’s always hard playing with a lead. Every single quarter, you have to play even harder, because nobody wants to get embarrassed.”