James Harden scored a game-winning three-pointer as the Houston Rockets thrillingly beat the Golden State Warriors 135-134.
The reigning MVP settled the game between the two NBA heavyweights with 2.7 seconds remaining in overtime, finishing with a total of 44 points and his second triple-double of the week.
Harden had levelled the scores in the last minute of regulation with a three pointer and, with Golden State two points up in the last seconds of overtime, he evaded Klay Thompson and Draymond Green to hit the game-winning shot and secure his team a sixth successive victory.
M.V.P. GAME WINNER! pic.twitter.com/nshRgCiZwX
— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) January 4, 2019
The defending champion Warriors had held a 20-point lead in regulation but fell to a defeat despite Stephen Curry's 35 points.
Elsewhere, DeMar DeRozan recorded his first career triple-double as the San Antonio Spurs beat the Toronto Raptors 125-107.
The 29-year-old shooting guard delivered 21 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists, while the Raptors' Kawhi Leonard was booed throughout by the home crowd in his first game back in San Antonio since last summer's trade.
🏀 FINAL SCORE THREAD 🏀 DeMar DeRozan (21 PTS, 14 REB, 11 AST) records his 1st career triple-double to lead the @spurs over Toronto at home!#GoSpursGo 125#WeTheNorth 107 Bryn Forbes: 20 PTS, 6 3PMLaMarcus Aldridge: 23 PTSDerrick White: 19 PTS, 4 AST pic.twitter.com/R2YIOpAabA
— NBA (@NBA) January 4, 2019
Leonard scored 21 points but the defeat at the AT&T Centre saw the end of Toronto's thee-game winning run.
In the night's other game, the Denver Nuggets won for the fourth time in a row, beating the Sacramento Kings 117-113.
