competition should be based on sporting success rather than financial might. Guus Hiddink says he is against the Champions League becoming exclusive I think we must all be careful to go into e

HOUSTON -- Houstons coaching staff emphasized to the players that Boston led the league in fourth-quarter scoring.So when they Rockets found themselves down by six entering the final frame they knew theyd have step things up to escape with a win.Harden made sure they did that, scoring 13 of his 37 points in the fourth before Al Horford missed a shot just before the buzzer to allow the Rockets to hold on for a 107-106 victory Monday night.The fourth quarter we just picked up ... we just wanted to lock in and get stops and offensively be aggressive, Harden said.The game was tied before Harden scored five straight points to make it 107-102 with less than a minute remaining. Avery Bradley made a jump shot and Harden received a flagrant 1 foul for elbowing Marcus Smart in the face. Smart made both free throws before Isaiah Thomas missed a layup.But Houston knocked the ball out of bounds with 5.2 seconds left, giving Boston one last chance. Horford drove into the lane, but his shot rolled off the rim and Harden grabbed it to secure the victory.I felt good when I shot it, but it just didnt go down, Horford said.Horford had 21 points and Thomas added 20 for the Celtics, who had won two straight.It was the ninth 30-point game this season for Harden, who also had eight assists and seven rebounds.An 8-2 run by Houston, powered by a pair of 3-pointers by Eric Gordon, cut Bostons lead to one with about 8 1/2 minutes left. Smart made a 3-pointer for the first of seven straight points for the Celtics that made it 96-88. Smart also had a big defensive play in that stretch when he blocked a one-handed dunk attempt by Montrezl Harrell.Houston scored eight straight points, topped off with a dunk from Harrell, to take a 102-100 lead with about 3 1/2 minutes left.Harden raved about Harrells work.You see how hes flying around everywhere, Harden said. He does a lot of different things, some things that dont show up on the stat sheet that helped contribute to this win.The Celtics trailed by 12 early in the third quarter before using a 15-2 spurt to take a 68-67 lead with about 7 minutes left in the quarter. Boston made three 3-pointers in that span, capped by one from Horford. Houston missed five shots, including four 3s, and had two turnovers to help the Celtics close the gap.We guarded at a different level and our first unit played pretty well in the third, Celtics coach Brad Stevens said. In one stretch in the fourth we turned the ball over and that was hurtful.The Rockets were up by three points with 2 minutes left in the first half before Smart fouled Harden on a 3-point attempt and he made all three free throws. Houston had extended the lead to seven when Smart again fouled Harden on a 3-point try and his three free throws made it 58-48 at halftime.TIP-INSCeltics: James Young missed the game with an illness. ... Thomas received a technical for arguing a call at the end of the first half. ... Bradley finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds. ... Smart had 13 points.Rockets: Made 12 3-pointers to extend their NBA record of consecutive games with at least 10 3-pointers to 20. ... Trevor Ariza started despite dealing with back spasms and had 15 points and eight rebounds. ... Gordon finished with 19 points and made four 3-pointers to give him six straight games with at least four 3s.PERFECTHarden tied a franchise record for most free throws without a miss by making all 18 of his attempts on Monday night. Kevin Martin also went 18 for 18 on March 20, 2011 against Utah. He lamented committing the offensive foul on Smart late instead of drawing the foul and getting a chance to go to the line and set the record.Of course I wanted two free throws at the end of the game instead of a flagrant, but we won, he said. Thats all that matters.LATE PUSHThe Rockets have developed a knack for scoring late. After managing just 13 points in the fourth quarter of a 105-103 loss to Oklahoma City on Nov. 16 the Rockets have picked things up, averaging 27.9 fourth-quarter points in the last 10 games.THEY SAID ITStevens on Harden: Harden is a really good player. I dont know what else to say. We could go through and dissect every play, but overall he is just a really good player.UP NEXTCeltics: Visit Orlando on Wednesday.Rockets: Hosts the Lakers on Wednesday. Randy Johnson Jersey Large . Bjorn, who had a 36-hole total of 8-under 134, made a testing six-foot putt to save par on the 16th and a birdie on the 17th before bogeying the final hole after a misjudged approach shot. American Kevin Streelman was in second place after shooting a 69. Cheap Custom Diamondbacks Jersey . Vokoun departed practice on Saturday morning after discovering swelling in his thigh. He was taken to a local hospital where the clot was revealed. The club announced the surgery following a 5-3 exhibition loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. http://www.customdiamondbacksjersey.com/ . Sulaiman, 44, was chosen unanimously Tuesday in a vote by the leadership, the World Boxing Council said. Sulaiman becomes the sixth president of the organization. Diamondbacks Jerseys China . -- Jaye Marie Green shot a 4-under 68 on Thursday to increase her lead to five strokes after the second round of the LPGA Tours qualifying tournament. Wholesale Custom Diamondbacks Shirts . Irving scored 23 points, Tristan Thompson had 20 points and 10 rebounds and the Cavaliers beat the Denver Nuggets 117-109 on Friday night.Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri says football supporters should be the only consideration when discussing a potential European Super League. The Relevant Sports chairman, Charlie Stillitano, held talks with Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United on Tuesday about this years International Champions Cup (ICC), an annual pre-season friendly tournament.Stillitano also confirmed they discussed restructuring the Champions League - an issue high on the European Club Association agenda - and he has since discussed the idea of closing off European football competitions to include only elite clubs. With Leicester currently top of the Premier League and in a strong position to qualify for the Champions League for the first time in their history, Ranieri insisted the big clubs would only have themselves to blame if they fail to qualify for Europes elite competition this season and in the future. Ranieri is only worried about his sides results and is not worried about their title rivals This is sport, no? I understand they want to do something, but if something strange happens, they shouldnt blame the little teams, they should blame themselves, Ranieri said. [Talk surrounding a Super League] is speculation. They are trying to do something, but I think people must think about what fans want, not only about money, because the culture and the fans are more important than other things.I think they wouldnt start [a Super League] next season, but then something could happen. Maybe next time [Relevent] will have to also call our sporting director!United manager Louis van Gaal also spoke out against a possible European Super League and claimed he has never been a supporter of plans to form an elite league made up of Europes biggest clubs. Everybody knows, when you follow my career, that I am against all the super leagues and something like that, he said. Louis van Gaal says he has never been keen on the idea of a European Super League Sport is to be the best and also when the Champions League was [expanding], I said it was rubbish because now the second, third and fourth team is also playing.It has to be between champions in my opinion. I said that 20 years ago and I say it now again.I think sport is to win, not to be secoond or third.dddddddddddd.Chelsea interim boss Guus Hiddink appeared to support Ranieri and Van Gaal in suggesting qualification for Europes elite competition should be based on sporting success rather than financial might. Guus Hiddink says he is against the Champions League becoming exclusive I think we must all be careful to go into exclusivity when teams like this year surprisingly Leicester is mixing in, he said.They have the full right to be where they are now and are a good contender for the next Champions League this year. Hiddink believes clubs such as Leicester have every right to compete for a place in the Champions League Asked if the top clubs were spooked by the success of Leicester, Hiddink added: I hope so. Why not? Thats real sport. We must not forget what its all about in sport.UEFA is aware of the threat of a breakaway competition but remains confident the continents elite clubs will remain committed to the Champions League. Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp discusses the European Super League Also See: US exec trumpets Big Five Leicester best story in years Could we get a title play-off? Pundits pick their top four ' ' '