James Harden scored 27 points to lead the Houston Rockets to a comfortable 107-86 NBA win over the Golden State Warriors, who welcomed back Draymond Green from a one-game team-imposed suspension.
The Rockets (7-7), who announced before the game that they were to part with 10-time All-Star Carmelo Anthony, have won three straight and six of their past eight games after starting 1-5 to reach .500 for the first time since they were 1-1.
The Warriors, who were without Stephen Curry (groin) for the fourth straight game, have lost two of their past three. He is expected to miss at least the next two games.
Houston took a six-point lead at quarter-time to the main break, extended it to 13 at the end of the third before closing out the game.
Kevin Durant had 20 points for the Warriors on a night they were just four of 18 on three-pointers.
Scoreless Green had five rebounds, five assists and five turnovers in his return after serving his ban for swearing at Durant in Monday night's overtime loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.
Green addressed the situation for the first time after shoot-around but did not apologise for his actions in the heated exchange.
He said he and Durant had spoken and that they were "moving forward."
"I think there's no secret that I am an emotional player," he said.
"I wear my emotions on my sleeve. I play with that same emotion. Sometimes they get the best of me. And (if) it doesn't work to my favour I'm going to live with that."
Anthony played just 10 games for the Rockets after signing a one-year deal during the off-season.
"In the summer we tried to hit a home run and it didn't work out," coach Mike D'Antoni said.
Juancho Hernangomez scored a season-high 25 points and Paul Millsap had 18 points and nine rebounds against his former team as Denver routed Atlanta 138-93.
The Nuggets had seven players score in double figures while posting their biggest winning margin this season to end a four-game losing streak.
Lou Williams scored 23 points off the bench, including nine over the final four minutes, and Danilo Gallinari added 19 as Los Angeles held off visiting San Antonio 116-111 down the stretch.
Meanwhile, Los Angeles Lakers point guard Rajon Rondo, a four-time All-Star, is expected to miss four to five weeks after having surgery to repair a fractured bone in his hand.
Rondo sustained the injury against the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday when he put his hand down to break a fall after grabbing a rebound.
