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Rockets 125, Jazz 80

SALT LAKE CITY - James Harden scored 25 points, Omer Asik hauled in 19 rebounds and the visiting Houston Rockets annihilated the Utah Jazz 125-80 Monday night at EnergySolutions Arena.

The 45-point loss was the worst home defeat in Jazz franchise history and their fifth-largest loss margin ever. Only a late Kevin Murphy 3-pointer prevented it from being the Jazz's worst-ever loss.

Harden scored 18 points and Carlos Delfino poured in all 14 of his points in the first half as the Rockets used a 19-4 run in the second quarter to blow open the game early.

Marcus Morris added 16 points off the bench and six Rockets scored 12 or more points as Houston improved to 25-22 with their third victory in a row.

The Jazz's first five struggled mightily in the most lopsided loss of the season, combining to shoot just 17-of-47 from the field for a meager 39 points.

Starting shooting guard Randy Foye led all Utah scorers with 12 points on 5-for-13 shooting and Al Jefferson added 10 on 5-for-14 shooting. Meanwhile, starters Marvin Williams, Paul Millsap and Jamaal Tinsley combined to score just 17 points together.

Utah fell to 24-21 overall while suffering just its fifth loss in 20 home games this season.

Houston took a 57-39 lead into halftime, and the Rockets were only getting warmed up. After holding the Jazz to 17 points in the second quarter, the visitors outscored the hospitable hosts 36-20 in the third quarter and 32-21 in the final period.

Houston shot 52.8 percent from the field for the game, including a sizzling 16-of-34 from 3-point range.

Jazz fans went from booing to mock cheers when James Anderson hit the Rockets' final 3-pointer in the final minute.

Utah, which has lost two of three after a four-game winning streak, shot just 39.5 percent overall. The Jazz were outscored in fast-break points, 26-2.

Chandler Parsons, Patrick Patterson and Jeremy Lin each scored a dozen points for Houston.

Utah's previous biggest deficit this season was 32 points.

Hayward is listed as day-to-day for the Jazz, who are also missing usual starting point guard Mo Williams (thumb surgery).

Derrick Favors scored 11 points off the bench for the Jazz.

NOTES: Houston guard Jeremy Lin arrived in Salt Lake City on Sunday night just in time to catch the end of "Linsanity," a Sundance Film Festival documentary about his life. A snowstorm diverted his team's flight to Grand Junction, Colo., preventing him from seeing the whole film. "My agent suggested that I invite everyone in the organization, and I was like that would be pretty awkward," Lin said. "I was thankful because some of my teammates and some of the staff members were kind of excited to go see it." It took time for him to be convinced to allow a documentary to be made about him, but Lin ended up enjoying the project. "I didn't really have to act," he said. "If I had to act, I wouldn't have done it. I just had to do what I do every day." ... Lin on the surreal year he has had since breaking out against the Nets on Feb. 5, 2012: "This is definitely just adding on to it. It's just crazy to think that that New Jersey Nets (game) was less than a year ago." ... Lin met Utah resident Wat Misaka before Monday's game. Misaka, a University of Utah standout in the 1940s, was the first player of Asian descent and first non-Caucasian athlete to play in the NBA. He played three games with the New York Knicks during the 1947-48 season. ... Jazz point guard Mo Williams said he will have a pin taken out of his surgically repaired right thumb during the All-Star break. He'll be re-evaluated then and hopes to return soon after that.