HOUSTON -- There was the requisite amount of razzle and dazzle from guard James Harden to carry the day, but what the Rockets received from their bench proved as critical as the sixth 30-point, 10-assist game Harden has already posted this season.

Behind Harden and outstanding efforts from reserves Nene and Eric Gordon, the Houston Rockets defeated the Utah Jazz 111-102 on Saturday at Toyota Center.

While Harden finished with game highs in points (31) and assists (10), Nene (16 points, six rebounds) and Gordon (20 points, seven rebounds, six assists, two steals) carried the Rockets (8-5) through offensive lulls when their sharpshooting vanished. Houston reserves produced 44 points on 53.3 percent shooting, 19 rebounds and seven assists against only two turnovers while also contributing four steals.

"We're a team so we're going to need each and every guy to step up and play well," Harden said. "Tonight our bench did a really, really good job of executing and just being solid. Be solid like that and we'll go a long way."

Rodney Hood and Trey Lyles combined for 46 points as Utah (7-7) dropped its third consecutive game following a 4-1 swing through the Eastern Conference. Rudy Gobert added a double-double (12 points, 14 rebounds) plus four blocks, yet despite outshooting Houston, the Jazz couldn't overcome a working deficit after committing a dozen turnovers through the third quarter and allowing 17 second-chance points.

Houston, meanwhile, finished with only five turnovers and closed plus-18 on shot attempts. Add that to a dynamic performance from center Clint Capela (a career-high 20 points with eight rebounds and five assists) and the formula proved simple.

"Yeah, he had a monster game and I don't think he did anything that he can't keep repeating," Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni said of Capela. "His biggest thing is always his energy and (the way he) keeps that up. There were some parts of the game that I thought he was very good defensively and offensively."

After climbing uphill for most of the game, the Jazz closed to within seven points on a Joe Ingles 3-pointer with 8:53 left in the fourth quarter. But after shooting 8 for 23 from behind the arc prior to the final period, the Rockets went 4 of 9 on 3s down the stretch.

Gordon sank three treys and Patrick Beverley added another with 6:17 to play. When Gordon capped the flurry at the 5:48 mark, the Rockets led 100-86.

"The loose balls, the opportunistic 3s, Beverley made a big one and a lot of those little things added up," Jazz coach Quin Snyder said.

Nene provided the early punch immediately upon entering the game for the first time, scoring nine points bridging the opening two periods with his dive at the rim pushing the Houston lead to 33-24 just over a minute into the second quarter.

With Nene serving as the fulcrum, Rockets reserves tallied 17 consecutive points between a Harden 3-pointer with 56.5 seconds left in the first quarter and a Capela layin at the 6:59 mark of the second. Houston pushed its lead to 16 points in the second quarter and that double-digit deficit provided exactly the desired cushion.

"I think we were flat on both ends in the first half," Gobert said. "We did not attack them on the offensive end, too many mistakes on the defensive end. I think we played solid in the second half. We played pretty good defense (in the second half)."

NOTES: Jazz F Boris Diaw (right leg) dressed but was only available in an emergency. Diaw has played just five games this season and labored upon his return. But with Utah ravaged by injuries, Diaw only suited up in the event that he would be desperately needed. ... Rockets F Montrezl Harrell was downgraded to out because of a left calf contusion sustained in practice. With Rockets C Nene out for rest on Thursday, Harrell posted nine points, nine rebounds and three assists over 21 minutes in a win against the Portland Trail Blazers. ... Jazz PG George Hill missed his seventh consecutive game with a sprained right thumb. Hill was originally listed as questionable but was downgraded for he remains unable to grip a basketball.