HOUSTON -- James Harden scored 38 points and the Houston Rockets took the final Western Conference playoff spot with an easy 116-81 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night.
The Rockets never trailed and had a 64-44 lead at halftime behind 16 points from Harden and 10 each from Dwight Howard and Michael Beasley.
They won their last three games to sneak into the playoffs after losing three of the previous four to fall behind Utah and into ninth place in the West. Houston will meet top-seed Golden State in the first round of the playoffs this weekend.