HOUSTON -- If the chase for the 2016-17 MVP award can be reduced to one narrative, that conversation pits Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook producing historic stat lines while carrying a mediocre roster against Houston Rockets guard James Harden orchestrating the NBA's third-winningest team.

Nothing happened Sunday at Toyota Center to alter that dialogue or offer any sort of resolution or aid for the voting bloc. Westbrook produced his 36th triple-double fn the season and Harden engineered a breathtaking offensive display in Houston's 137-125 win.

Reserve guard Lou Williams paced a quartet of 20-point scorers for the Rockets with 31 points in 31 minutes, his sixth 30-point game off the bench this season. He tied a a career high with seven 3-pointers, finished 11 of 15 from the field and was integral to an offense that produced a 75.9 effective field goal percentage.

But Williams wasn't alone. Harden added his 58th double-double with 22 points and 12 assists, his 46th 20-point, 10-assist game. Eric Gordon and Trevor Ariza chipped in 24 points each, combining to go 10 of 17 from behind the arc. The Rockets (51-22) finished 20 of 39 on 3s, their NBA-record 10th game with 20 treys.

"It's important to have depth, and the fact that we have so many versatile guys or guys that can put the ball in the basket, that's a big, big key," Ariza said.

"If one guy is not playing well or the ball is not falling, they're trapping him or whatever, we have other guys they have to worry about. If you play other guys one-on-one, they can put the ball in the basket as well."

Westbrook finished with game highs in points (39), rebounds (11) and assists (13), with a chunk of his scoring coming in the fourth quarter as the Thunder (41-31) labored in vain to whittle a 25-point deficit. Westbrook and Enes Kanter teamed to score 31 points in the quarter, with Kanter scoring 13 of his 23 points.

The Thunder lost for the first time in 12 games when Westbrook had a triple-double, the victim of sensational Rockets shooting in the first three quarters. Harden capped the third quarter with a buzzer-beating trey for a 113-88 lead.

"They are a very, very good offensive team and I think everybody knows that," Thunder coach Billy Donovan said.

"They have obviously great shooting all over the floor, but the control part for us was I thought our concentration, focus and our ability to start the third quarter and to make multiple efforts on a continual basis is what you have to do. We had some moments where we did it pretty well and some moments we didn't do it well."

Leading 37-31 entering the second quarter, the Rockets expanded their lead with a hail of jumpers. Houston shot 76.1 percent (16 of 21) in the quarter, including 6 of 9 from deep while producing a 42-point quarter.

"We were on a streak from the beginning of the game," said Harden, who jammed his left (shooting) wrist during a fall in the fourth quarter but proclaimed himself fine. "Just from the beginning of the game we were locked in, and as a result we rode that lead all the way until the end of the game."

Williams poured in 13 points on 4-of-4 shooting in the second quarter and closed the half with 18 points on six field goals. Ariza also started 6 of 6, his half-court heave at the first half-buzzer resulting in his first miss. He closed the half with 16 points and with Harden chipped in 12 as the Rockets led 79-59 at the break.

All that was left was for Westbrook to contribute another dazzling stat line. He accomplished that but failed to match Harden in the win column for the third time in four meetings this season. How that influences voting remains to be seen.

"I just play, man," Westbrook said. "I go out and play every night and play at a high level like I do every single night and try to help is win. It didn't work out that way, so I have to get ready for tomorrow's game (against the Dallas Mavericks)."

NOTES: Rockets F Ryan Anderson will be sidelined up to two weeks with a sprained right ankle suffered in the waning moments on Friday night against the Pelicans. A subsequent MRI revealed no structural damage. Houston coach Mike D'Antoni hopes Anderson will return before the end of the regular season. ... Houston set season marks for field goal percentage (71.4) and points (79) in the first half. ... With his 36th triple-double, Thunder G Russell Westbrook moved within six of breaking the season record set by Bucks G Oscar Robertson in 1961-62.