Philadelphia 76ers guard James Harden shoots a three-point basket as Houston Rockets guard Daishen Nix defends during the first half of an NBA game Monday in Houston.
                                 AP photo

Philadelphia 76ers guard James Harden shoots a three-point basket as Houston Rockets guard Daishen Nix defends during the first half of an NBA game Monday in Houston.

AP photo

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<p>Philadelphia 76ers forward Danuel House Jr. (25) drives to the basket during the first half of an NBA game against the Houston Rockets on Monday in Houston.</p>
                                 <p>AP photo</p>

Philadelphia 76ers forward Danuel House Jr. (25) drives to the basket during the first half of an NBA game against the Houston Rockets on Monday in Houston.

AP photo

<p>Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green (4) shoots as Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul Reed (44) defends during the first half of an NBA game Monday in Houston.</p>
                                 <p>AP photo</p>

Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green (4) shoots as Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul Reed (44) defends during the first half of an NBA game Monday in Houston.

AP photo

HOUSTON — Jalen Green scored 27 points and Kevin Porter Jr. added 24 to lead the Houston Rockets to a 132-123 double-overtime victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night as James Harden struggled through his return from injury.

Harden had 21 points but shot 4 for 19 from the field in his first game since Nov. 2. Coach Doc Rivers said Harden, who spent just more than eight seasons with the Rockets before being traded to Brooklyn in January 2021, would be on a minutes restriction in his return. But Harden didn’t seem to be limited much, and played 39 minutes.

He had missed 14 games with a tendon strain in his right foot. He missed all eight attempts inside the 3-point arc but still got to the line like he always does and made 9 of 10 free throws.

Houston opened the second overtime with consecutive 3-pointers by Eric Gordon and Porter. P.J. Tucker then scored his first points of the game on a long 2 that cut the lead to 123-119.

Porter made two free throws before Harden got Philadelphia within 125-122 with a 3-pointer with about 90 seconds left. But rookie Jabari Smith Jr. added a 3 for Houston to extend the lead to six a few seconds later and Houston held on for the win.

Joel Embiid had 39 points before fouling out late in the first overtime and Tobias Harris added 27 as the Sixers dropped their third straight.

Harden won the MVP award with the Rockets in 2018 and was a three-time scoring champion in his time in Houston. He received a warm welcome from the crowd when he was announced before the game.

Gordon grabbed a steal on a bad pass by Embiid to give the Rockets the ball with 7.5 seconds left in the first OT trailing by one. Embiid fouled out when he knocked down Porter as he drove to the basket after that. The Sixers challenged the foul call, but it was unsuccessful.

Porter made the first free throw to tie it but missed the second and De’Anthony Melton grabbed the rebound, but Harden missed a 3 to send it to the second OT.

The game was tied late in the fourth quarter when Porter blocked a 3 by Harden. Melton grabbed the offensive rebound but lost the ball out of bounds to give the Rockets the ball back with 3 seconds left.

Green had a chance to win it at the buzzer, but his 3-point attempt clanged off the rim.

There were 61 fouls in this game and the teams combined to shoot 80 free throws. Houston made 34 of 44 and Philadelphia was 28 of 36.

CLIPPERS 119, HORNETS 117

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Kawhi Leonard had 16 points, including an 18-foot jumper with 1.4 seconds to lift the Los Angeles Clippers to a 119-117 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Monday night in his return from a right ankle sprain.

Paul George also came back from a strained hamstring to score 19 points along with seven assists for the Clippers, who snapped a two-game losing streak. Reggie Jackson and Nic Batum each had 13 points, and John Wall added 12 points and 12 assists off the bench.

Luke Kennard added nine points off the bench in his first game back from an injury as well.

Kelly Oubre had 28 points and P.J. Washington bounced back from an 0-for-13 shooting night on Saturday night to add 26 for the Hornets. Washington missed a fadeaway jumper as time expired that would have tied the game.

CELTICS 116, RAPTORS 110

TORONTO — Jayson Tatum had 31 points and 12 rebounds, Jaylen Brown scored 22 points and Boston won for the seventh time in eight games, beating Toronto.

Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart scored 18 points for Boston after sitting out Sunday’s win at Brooklyn because of a bruised left hip.

Blake Griffin scored 13 points and Luke Kornet had 11 for the Celtics, who own the NBA’s best record at 20-5. Boston is 16-2 since starting the season 4-3.

Pascal Siakam scored 29 points, Scottie Barnes had 21 and Gary Trent Jr. 20, but Toronto lost for the first time in four home games. The Raptors are 9-3 north of the border this season.

BUCKS 109, MAGIC 102

ORLANDO, Fla. — Giannis Antetokounmpo scored five of his 34 points in the final two minutes to help Milwaukee hold off a late Orlando rally.

Bobby Portis added 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Bucks, and Jrue Holiday added 17 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds.

Franz Wagner led Orlando with 25 points. Markelle Fultz and Paolo Banchero added 20 points apiece. Banchero also had 12 rebounds for the Magic, who lost their ninth straight.

Antetokounmpo, Sandro Mamukelashvili and Holiday hit 3-pointers on a 16-0 Milwaukee run midway through the first half while Orlando went scoreless for 5 1/2 minutes. The spurt left the Bucks with an 11-point lead that they stretched to 15 midway through the period.

THUNDER 121, HAWKS 114

ATLANTA — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 35 points, Josh Giddey had 12 of his 17 points in the final period, and Oklahoma City overcame a 14-point deficit in the third quarter to beat Atlanta.

Dejounte Murray finished with 24 points and Trae Young had 23 points and 10 assists for the Hawks (13-11), who have squandered six double-digit leads this season. They began the night tied for second-most in the NBA in that category.

In winning its third straight, Oklahoma City (11-13) has outscored its last three opponents 106-68 in the fourth. The Thunder trailed 88-84 entering the final period.

Giddey’s three-point play early in the fourth made it 91-90 for the Thunder’s first lead since late in the first. They never trailed again as Gilgeous-Alexander, the league’s third-leading scorer, kept hitting free throws down the stretch. He scored 12 points in the fourth and finished 15 for 15 from the foul line.

GRIZZLIES 101, HEAT 93

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Tyus Jones had a career-high 28 points and 10 assists to lead the short-handed Memphis Grizzlies a victory over Miami Heat.

Santi Aldama added 18 points and Dillon Brooks finished with 17 for Memphis, which played without leading scorer Ja Morant and several other key players.

Tyler Herro led the Heat with 23 points and 13 rebounds. Jimmy Butler, who had only one field goal in the first half, scored 18, and Caleb Martin finished with 16 for the Heat.

MAVERICKS 130, SUNS 11

DALLAS — Luka Doncic scored 33 points, Spencer Dinwiddie added 21 and the Dallas Mavericks preserved a big lead against the Phoenix Suns this time in a victory.

The Mavericks remained in control after a 28-8 run covering most of the last 10 minutes of the first quarter while ending a 10-game, regular-season losing streak against the Western Conference-leading Suns.

Dallas squandered a 22-point lead in the second half of a 107-105 loss at Phoenix in the season opener between teams that met in the West semifinals last season. Dallas won that series last spring with a Game 7 rout on the Suns’ home court.