HOUSTON - The Houston Rockets are starting to gel after a rough stretch when new players were trying to find their place. Taysom Hill Youth Jersey .James Harden had 30 points and five assists to lead the Rockets to their third straight victory, 97-82 over the Utah Jazz on Saturday night.Were catching a rhythm, Harden said. Defensively, we look pretty solid. Offensively, we were sharing the basketball, and guys were scoring. Its a free-for-all out there.Harden, the leagues leader in points per game, had his 15th 30-point game.After acquiring Corey Brewer and Josh Smith within a week around Christmas, the Rockets lost five of seven. With their roles now clearly defined, things look promising in Houston.We had parts in the game where we moved the ball very, very well, Rockets coach Kevin McHale said. We played in spurts all night long. We dont want to do that, we want to be a little bit better.Harden made four of Houstons 13 3-pointers, including two in the fourth quarter, to maintain the large lead built during a turnover-filled third quarter for Utah.Houston used 16 steals and forced 31 turnovers to overcome poor first-half shooting.Trey Burke and Enes Kanter both scored 16 for Utah, and Derrick Favours had 15 points in just 17 minutes.Gordon Hayward, who leads the Jazz with 19.1 points per game, was held to just nine, as he was blanketed by Harden for much of his 30 minutes.The Rockets struggled to find their shots early. They rank first in 3-pointers made, but missed 10 of their first 13 attempts. In the third quarter, however, Houston heated up, hitting four straight 3s during one stretch and 5 of 8 to pull away.After the game was tied at 23 to end the first quarter, Houstons defence clamped down in the second, forcing 10 of Utahs 18 first-half turnovers in the frame.The struggling Jazz hit their season high in turnovers midway through the third.After winning five of their last seven games to close out the last two weeks of 2014, the Jazz have lost four of six to start 2015.Utah coach Quin Snyder said the turnovers were more a tribute to Houstons length and style of defence than shortcomings for the Jazz.Theyre long, theyre quick, and they have Dwight Howard back there, protecting the rim so they can be even more aggressive, Snyder said. Thats why theyre one of the top defensive teams in the league.Howard was held to just eight points and eight boards in 36 minutes.The Jazz scored a season-low 14 points in the second quarter, and the Rockets led 46-37 at the half.Behind Hardens performance, Donatas Motiejunas had 14 points and 10 rebounds, and Trevor Ariza, Smith and Patrick Beverley each had 10 points.Were just trying to be a burst of energy, Smith said of the veteran depth. Whenever we see the starters not really getting off to a good start, we try to be that energy and that enthused group to come out and get it going.TIP-INSJazz: C Enes Kanter returned after a four-game absence after suffering a right ankle sprain on Jan. 2. Kanter scored 16 points and added six rebounds in 21 minutes. ... C Rudy Gobert, who entered the game averaging a league-leading 5.0 blocks per game since Jan. 1, had three blocks, including two against Josh Smith.Rockets: F Trevor Ariza recorded his 12th game of 3-plus steals, which is tied for the third highest in the league. He finished with a game-high five. ... After making just three free throws in a loss Wednesday at the Bulls, who made 27, the Rockets hit 18 to Utahs 19. Houston improved to 10-9 when its opponent hits more from the stripe. The Rockets are 15-1 when they make more free throws.HEAVILY FATIGUEDOnly two Utah starters played 30 minutes in the game, and Snyder said fatigue was a heavy factor.UP NEXTUtah returns home on Tuesday to face a streaking Warriors team that has won six straight.Rockets travel to Brooklyn to face the Nets on Monday. Michael Thomas Jersey . - Kevin Labanc and Joseph Blandisi were a potent combination for the Barrie Colts on Friday night. Willie Roaf Saints Jersey .com) - The Carolina Panthers won for the first time in seven games last week, were without Cam Newton due to a car accident this week, but somehow sit atop the much-maligned NFC South. http://www.shoptheofficialsaints.com/Elite-Sam-Mills-Saints-Jersey/ . -- Jane Kish stopped all 25 shots she faced as the Weyburn Gold Wings blanked the Sudbury Lady Wolves 3-0 on Friday to advance to the gold-medal game at the Esso Cup.HALIFAX - Rory (Ares) MacDonald has shown his championship credentials. Now he stands in the UFC wings, waiting for his title shot.The 25-year-old welterweight took full advantage of his first UFC main event Saturday night, stopping former Strikeforce champion Tarec (Sponge) Saffiedine at 1:28 of the third round of a televised Fight Night card.It was a clinical finish after two strategic rounds that saw bursts of activity from the two fighters.MacDonald, ranked No. 2 among welterweight contenders, clipped Saffiedine with a right to the back of the head and then felled him with a powerful left uppercut. A turtled Saffiedine was finished on the ground by seven piston-like punches, with referee Herb Dean stepping in to save the American-based Belgian.Saffiedine, ranked ninth, was left dazed and bloody on the canvas.MacDonald (18-2) used his size and reach — and ability to control distance — to blunt Saffiedines considerable kickboxing skills.Tonight I felt at my best, he said after the fight, clad in a stylish suit and his face largely unmarked. I was really flowing out there.As he did in previous 2014 wins over Tyron (The Chosen One) Woodley and Demian Maia, MacDonald negated his opponents skills. Saffiedine, a dangerous fighter, did not look threatening.Man, I dont really have an excuse, said Saffiedine (15-4). I came prepared, I had a good camp. I was mentally ready, physically ready.Now MacDonald awaits UFC 181 on Dec. 6, when champion Johny Hendricks defends his title against No. 1 contender (Ruthless) Robbie Lawler.Despite losing via split decision to Lawler at UFC 167, MacDonald says he doesnt care who wins in December.I just want to fight the best man. Whoever, he said.Whoever it is, MacDonald — a native of Kelowna, B.C., who fights out of Montreal — seems the logical choice to face the winner.I really dont see anyone else, he said. Ive beat some really good guys this year. ... Hopefully the UFC takes notice and puts me in that title fight so I can bring it back here to Canada.I feel like the natural step is the title shot, he added. The 170-pound title used to belong to Georgges St-Pierre, who trains with MacDonald in Montreal. Rickey Jackson Womens Jersey. St-Pierre vacated the title last December, saying he needed time away from the sport. He has yet to decide whether he will return.While only 25, MacDonald has been fighting in the UFC since January 2010. Now 9-2 in the UFC, he has had to wait his turn.Overshadowed by the iconic GSP, it took him 11 fights to get a main event. A fighter who rarely betrays his emotions, he has taken a zen approach to MMA.I wait and see how everything turns out, he said. Ill reap the benefits later, win or lose.While not one to wear his heart on his sleeve, MacDonald banged his chest when the fight ended Saturday and finally flashed a smile when his hand was raised.Should MacDonald continue his winning ways, one wonders what might happen if St-Pierre decides to come back. UFC boss Dana White has already said GSP could return to a title bout.The two teammates said in the past they wouldnt fight.But while GSP returns from knee surgery sustained training during his hiatus, MacDonald keeps getting better. Against Saffiedine, MacDonald landed 47 of 111 attempted significant strikes for a success rate of 42 per cent (he averages 43 per cent), according to FightMetric. Saffiedine was good on 42 of 136, (30 per cent, well below his average of 50.7 in Strikeforce, fourth-highest in the organizations history).The six-foot MacDonald is a big, well-rounded welterweight. He is both hard to take down and good at taking his opponents down.MacDonald comes across as somewhat cold because of his single-minded focus when it comes to fighting. But Saturday night he paid tribute to his fan support both in Canada and beyond the borders.Its a huge thing for me and all fighters to be recognized for our hard work and what we put on the line when we step in there, he said. It takes some sort of bravery.Its nice when people acknowledge that and are appreciative of what we do.The soldout crowd of 10,782 at the Scotiabank Centre deserved kudos for their enthusiasm and stamina. The main event ended at 2 a.m. local time.Follow @NeilMDavidson on Twitter ' ' '