The Denver Nuggets had a 17-point lead at half-time against the Sacramento Kings, but the home side fought back to win 100-97 in overtime.

It was a thrilling finish to a game that saw Harrison Barnes score 30 points for the Kings.

The Nuggets head coach Michael Malone praised the Kings' comeback.

"They played well, give them credit. They played good defence and turned up the pressure and we didn't handle it well," Malone told reporters after the game.

Despite the loss, the Nuggets (13-4) are still in second place in the Western Conference, while the win sees the Kings improve to 8-10 and in ninth place in the West.

Joel Embiid got 32 points and 11 rebounds as the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Indiana Pacers 119-116.

Perhaps more importantly to the 76ers, Ben Simmons had three steals in the final 13.9 seconds

For the Pacers, who had won five straight before this game, TJ Warren scored 29 points and Malcolm Brogdon got 28.

Philadelphia have now won three straight and lie in sixth spot in the Eastern Conference, one place ahead of Indiana.

In Milwaukee, the Bucks trounced the Charlotte Hornets 137-96 in a game the home side took command of early on and never trailed.

Giannis Antetokounmpo got the biggest individual haul with 26 points, and gave his enormous game shoes to a fan afterwards.

The Bucks have now won 11 straight and remain on top in the East, while the Hornets drop to ninth.

James Harden scored a season-high 60 points as the Houston Rockets hammered the Atlanta Hawks 158-111 – and he did not even play in the fourth quarter.

Houston played without starters Clint Capela and Danuel House who were both out through illness, but that made little difference against a team that last won on November 12.

The win moves the Rockets (13-6) up to fourth in the West, while the hapless Hawks, who have now lost 10 straight, remain rooted to the bottom in the East.