Don't look now, but the Rockets are starting to heat up.
After struggling to find form on both ends of the court to start the season, Houston won its third straight game Sunday in a 107-103 overtime thriller against the Pacers.
MORE: All-time leading NBA scorers | Dwight Howard wants to play until he's 40
Despite entering the night questionable with a back ailment, Dwight Howard scored 21 points and pulled down 17 rebounds. The monstrous double-double was Howard's 16th of the season and fifth straight.
The Pacers looked to be in control of the game after scoring the first six points in overtime, but Houston's unsung hero, Trevor Ariza, stepped up to help the Rockets escape with a crucial home win. Ariza finished with a season-high 24 points on 8-of-14 shooting. And he did all this while guarding Pacers star Paul George. James Harden, who scored 21 points with nine rebounds and nine assists, was impressed.
"He (Ariza) plays so hard no matter what," Harden said, via NBA.com. "If the shots are going in or not, he still plays hard. ... He led the team in scoring after guarding a (tough) guy on defense — shows a lot of character about the guy."
With the win, Houston (19-19) remained seventh in the Western Conference standings and got back to .500 for the first time since Dec. 26.
LeBron James ends 76ers upset bid:
Down just one point at halftime, Philadelphia went into the locker room with hopes of beating the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. But LeBron James scored 23 of his 37 points in the second half to help the Cavaliers beat the 76ers 95-85.
The game was much closer than expected. Ish Smith, fresh off a career-high 28 points, scored 18 points and dished out 10 assists as he continues to make a positive impact for this struggling franchise. Philadelphia first-round pick Jahlil Okafor also impressed. The big center scored 21 points and grabbed seven rebounds in 32 minutes of action.
James was the star yet again, but he didn't do it alone as two of his teammates finished with double-doubles. Kevin Love finished with 15 points and 15 rebounds, and Tristan Thompson poured in 10 points and hauled in 10 rebounds.
Highlights:
Tony Allen with the emphatic slam:
. @aa000G9 cleans up https://t.co/gvn4tRCT3C
— Memphis Grizzlies (@memgrizz) January 11, 2016 The give-and-go at its best:
Great things happen when you move without the ball! @NBATV #NBARapidReplay #CHAatDEN https://t.co/J8XP4UahgF
— NBA (@NBA) January 11, 2016 Zach Randolph sets the mark with his 25-point, 13-rebound performance:
Zach Randolph becomes the first player in the NBA with multiple 25-point, 10-rebound games off the bench this season
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) January 11, 2016 Stud of the night:
The year was 2002. Not really, but it felt that way while watching the Mavericks on Sunday because Dirk Nowitzki turned back the clock. The ageless 7-footer scored 29 points — while hitting 4 of 7 from beyond the arc — and grabbed seven rebounds in Dallas' 93-87 win against the Timberwolves. A word of daily fantasy advice: Draft guys playing Minnesota.
Dud of the night:
Bucks point guard Michael Carter-Williams came into the game playing some of the best basketball of his NBA career, but he left Sunday night's 100-88 loss to the Knicks back in the doghouse. Carter-Williams scored just four points on 1-of-8 shooting with three turnovers in just 22 minutes of playing time. Milwaukee just can't seem to get everyone clicking at the same time.
What's next (All times Eastern):
Wizards (16-19) at Bulls (22-13), 8 p.m. — The Bulls had their six-game win streak snapped by the Hawks on Saturday, but Jimmy Butler, Pau Gasol and Derrick Rose have been playing great lately. Washington needs a big game out of John Wall if it's going to pull off an upset.
Heat (22-15) at Warriors (35-2), 10:30 p.m. — The Heat had quietly been underachieving, but point guard Goran Dragic is finally starting to look comfortable in the offense. Unfortunately for them, Stephen Curry is healthy again and Dramond Green is playing as well as anyone right now.