HOUSTON -- In recounting the barrage of fourth-quarter 3-pointers that paved the way to a 14th consecutive win, Rockets guard Eric Gordon spoke so matter-of-factly that anyone who witnessed the event that unfolded earlier could hardly begrudge his confidence.

Gordon drilled seven 3-pointers, five in the final period, to spark the Houston Rockets to a come-from-behind, 120-99 victory over the Utah Jazz on Monday night at Toyota Center.

Gordon scored 17 of his season-high 33 points in the fourth quarter on 5-for-6 3-point shooting. After Thabo Sefolosha delivered the Jazz (14-17) a 91-83 lead with a driving bank shot at the 9:49 mark, Gordon sank three consecutive 3-pointers to ignite a 15-0 run that pushed the Rockets (25-4) into an advantage that kept swelling as the hail of treys continued unabated.

The Rockets hit 8 of 12 3s in the fourth quarter after entering the period 9 for 31 from behind the arc.

"Early in the first half they were making everybody go toward the rim," Gordon said. "And then they got tired of that and were really protecting the paint, and then it was wide-open 3s.

"You're not going to stop it all for us. We're a great offensive team. If you're going to stop the paint, then we're going to knock down 3s. If you're going to take away the 3s, we've got to score on the inside. You've got to pick your (poison)."

Center Clint Capela returned from an injury hiatus and produced a 20-20 game: 24 points and a career-high-tying 20 boards. Houston matched the 1993-94 team for the best start in franchise annals and won by 20-plus points for the ninth time and double digits for an 18th time.

James Harden chipped in 26 points, six rebounds and six assists while Chris Paul finished a rebound shy of a triple-double with 18 points, nine boards and 10 assists. Eight of those assists came in the fourth quarter as the Rockets repeatedly picked apart the scrambling Jazz defense.

"Eric Gordon made a couple of 3s," Jazz coach Quin Snyder said. "We gave him some open ones and once a guy gets going he's that good of a player and they're that good of a team. They showed why they're where they are, why they've won as many in a row as they have. I think our guys also showed tremendous character given the circumstances."

Rodney Hood paced Utah with 26 points but scored only two on 1-of-4 shooting in the fourth quarter. Joe Ingles added 17 points while Joe Johnson tallied 12. After dominating the paint throughout the opening three periods, Utah scored just four points in the paint in the fourth.

What the Jazz struggled to do in the first half despite plentiful opportunities came easier in the third quarter. Utah hit 15 of 24 shots from the floor, with Ricky Rubio providing an early spark in the period with nine points by the 8:00 mark. Houston struggled keeping Jazz ball-handlers in check in the first half, and in the third Utah cashed in on those opportunities.

"They know they can turn it on, and that's bad," Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni said of his team. "We shouldn't have to wait until the fourth quarter to play with urgency, and we did."

By the close of the third, Utah had 54 points in the paint. And while Hood was the only shooter causing damage from the perimeter, he did so repeatedly with five treys entering the fourth. The Rockets managed a pair of late corner 3s from Paul, but Utah responded with two Hood treys and three baskets in the restricted area to carry an 84-79 lead into the final quarter.

Then, the dam broke, and the Jazz were taken under by a current so strong that it erased all the effort Utah exerted in pushing the Rockets into an eight-point hole with 10 minutes to play.

"I feel like we played well for the most part," Hood said. "They just couldn't miss in the fourth."

NOTES: Jazz F Derrick Favors remains in concussion protocol after suffering a left eye laceration last Friday in Boston. With C Rudy Gobert (knee) also sidelined, the Jazz inserted Joe Johnson into the starting lineup and played reserve F Jonas Jerebko at center. ... Rockets C Clint Capela returned following a one-game hiatus (left heel contusion). With Capela available, veteran C Nene did not play (rest). ... Rockets G James Harden scored 26 points and joined Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain and LeBron James as the only players since 1963-64 to score 20-plus points in each of their team's first 29 games.