James Harden scored 40-plus points for the third straight game as he led the Houston Rockets to a 108-104 win over the New Orleans Pelicans.
Harden, who leads the league with a points average of 32.7, had 26 in the first half and finished with 41, nine rebounds and six assists.
Julius Randle top scored for the Pelicans with 23, while Antonio Davis hit 22.
The Denver Nuggets, leaders of the Western Conference, overcame the Phoenix Suns 122-118 with Jamal Murray scoring 46 and adding eight assists.
Nikola Jokic added 23 in the victory, as the Nuggets' opened up a one-game lead over Oklahoma City Thunder in the Northwest Division.
Giannis Antetokounmpo had a triple-double – 31 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists – as the Milwaukee Bucks halted a late charge from the Brooklyn Nets to win 129-115.
Elsewhere, the Washington Wizards saw off the Charlotte Hornets 130-126, the Atlanta Hawks got the better of the Cleveland Cavaliers 111-108 and Kyrie Irving put 26 on the board as the Boston Celtics saw off the Memphis Grizzlies 112-103.
Rudy Gobert had 25 points and 16 rebounds as the Utah Jazz saw off the New York Knicks 129-97, Damian Lillard had 40 but the Portland Trail Blazers lost to the Golden State Warriors 115-105 and the San Antonio Spurs beat the Los Angeles Clippers 122-111.
