Ben Simmons was just one assist short of another NBA double-double as Philadelphia were beaten on the buzzer by Houston.
Australian rookie Simmons had 14 points, seven rebounds and nine assists for the 76ers in their 105-104 defeat to the Rockets.
The loss was Philadelphia's fourth in five games and ended the 21-year-old's four-game streak of at least a double-double.
Simmons is averaging 16.4 points, 10 rebounds and 7.4 assists per game to start his NBA career.
The Sixers were sloppy down the stretch, having led by as many as 11 points, and Eric Gordon hit a three-pointer as the clock ticked down to win it for the Rockets.
"I think that we let one slip. Some of it was luck," 76ers coach Brett Brown said.
Houston nailed the last nine points of the game with Gordon finishing with a game-high 29, James Harden had 27 and 13 assists and Clint Capela had 16 points and 20 rebounds.
J.J. Redick scored 22 points, Joel Embiid had 21 and Robert Covington 20 for the Sixers.
Australian guard Patty Mills had three points and four assists in San Antonio's 117-110 win over Miami.
LaMarcus Aldridge continued his hot start by scoring 31 points for the Spurs, who are 4-0 even without injured All-Star Kawhi Leonard and veteran guard Tony Parker.
Tyler Johnson led the Heat with 23 points.
Elsewhere, LeBron James recorded a triple-double -- 29 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists -- but could not prevent the Cleveland Cavaliers going down to the Brooklyn Nets 112-107.
Reigning NBA MVP Russell Westbrook added a triple-double -- 28 points, 10 rebounds and 16 assists -- to his career record in Oklahoma City Thunder's 114-96 win over the Indiana Pacers.
Frank Kaminsky scored 20 points off the bench and Dwight Howard had 15 points and 19 rebounds as the Charlotte Hornets beat the Denver Nuggets 110-93.
Tobias Harris had a game-high 34 points to lead the Detroit Pistons to a 122-101 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
In the late games the LA Lakers beat the Washington Wizards 102-99 in overtime; Golden State Warriors edged Toronto 107-102; Phoenix downed Utah 97-88 (Joe Ingles contributing 11 points for the Jazz); and Dallas were too strong for Memphis 103-94.
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