NBA roundup: Rockets edge Thunder despite Westbrook’s 49 points

James Harden scored 26 points and Nene made two free throws with 0.7 seconds left to lift the Houston Rockets to their sixth consecutive win, 118-116 over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday night.

Houston overcame Russell Westbrook’s 49 points, though the star guard struggled down the stretch.

Nene was fouled by Jerami Grant as he attempted a shot right under the basket, setting up the winning free throws. Nene had a season-high 18 points for his 12th double-digit game this season.

A pair of foul shots by Harden tied the score with just under two minutes remaining. The teams combined to miss seven shots after that, with Westbrook missing three in that span, before Nene’s free throws.

The Thunder attempted an alley-oop on the inbounds pass after that, but Enes Kanter couldn’t finish the play.

Westbrook finished two points shy of his season high as Oklahoma City dropped its third straight.

Houston was clinging to a four-point lead with about 2 1/2 minutes remaining before Westbrook and Victor Oladipo made consecutive three-pointers to put Oklahoma City up 116-114.

Atlanta 99, at New Orleans 94: Dennis Schroder scored 23 points and the Hawks won their fifth in a row even as shooting guard Kyle Korver sat out amid reports that he could be traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Paul Millsap had 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Hawks, who trailed by three points after Anthony Davis’ dunk with 3:51 to play before outscoring the Pelicans, 14-6, the rest of the way.

at Detroit 115, Charlotte 114: Marco Belinelli nearly pulled off one of the craftiest buzzer beaters in memory, but his bank shot was disallowed because it came too late and the Pistons, who got 15 points and a career-high 19 rebounds from Boban Marjanovic, held on. Belinelli was inbounding from the sideline with 0.5 of a second remaining. Marcus Morris of the Pistons was guarding the inbounder but had his back turned, and Belinelli bounced the ball off the defender and caught the carom. He then took a shot that banked in, but it was waved off — and a video review confirmed that the basket came just after time had expired.

San Antonio 127, at Denver 99: LaMarcus Aldridge led the rout by scoring 28 points, 11 during a third-quarter spurt. Kawhi Leonard scored 24 points and Tony Parker had 21 points and a season-high nine assists for the Spurs, who have won 17 of 20 on the road.

at Indiana 121, Brooklyn 109: Jeff Teague (21 points, 15 assists, seven assists) and Myles Turner (25 points and 15 rebounds) helped the Pacers to their fourth win in a row.

at Toronto 101, Utah 93: Kyle Lowry scored 16 of his 33 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Toronto Raptors to a come-from-behind victory. Two weeks ago, Lowry scored 19 points in the final quarter of a comeback win at Utah.

Phoenix 102, at Dallas 95: Eric Bledsoe scored 26 points to lead the Suns in a battle of also-rans.