In what is shaping up to be a Wild West shootout, the Rockets are lading the Knicks 72-57 at halftime, with Chandler Parsons putting on a show with 26 points for the Rockets.
James Harden had a stellar first half with 25 points, as well, while Carmelo Anthony is the only Knicks player in double digits with 24 points on an anemic offense by New York in the last half of the second quarter.
The Rockets started out strong, with Parsons and a drive by Jeremy Lin to the basket putting the Rocets up 13-6 with under 8:50 in first.
Houston went up 20-9 before two three-pointers from Anthony cut it to 20-15. But Parsons's 6 for 6 shooting on breakdowns from one of the league's best defenses put the Rockets up 26-17.
But on 6-for 7 shooting for 16 points, Anthony put the Knicks back in the game 22-26 before reserve power forward Marcus Morris left the game with an injury with 59 seconds in first quarter, which ended with the Rockets up 35-32.
In the second quarter, the Knicks and Rockets traded buckets back and forth in a close scoring game for the first half of the quarter. A three-pointer by Steve Novak at the 9 minute mark brought the Knicks within four points, 39-43.
But the Rockets went on a 12-0 run late in the quarter to put them up 64-53 with 1:54 left in the second. Anthony took his third personal foul.
Rasheed Wallace will be sitting out the game for the Knicks tonight.