James Harden scored a career-high 61 points as his Houston Rockets side defeated the New York Knicks 114-110.

Harden continued his purple patch with his fifth 50-point game of the season, adding 15 rebounds and four assists at Madison Square Garden.

He secured the win when the Knicks turned over the ball with five seconds remaining, scoring a lay-up as Houston cemented their position on top of the Southwest Division.

The Indiana Pacers won their third game in a row 110-106 over the Toronto Raptors, but the side may be more concerned about an injury suffered by Victor Oladipo.

The All-star suffered a serious right knee injury part-way through the second quarter and was carried off on a stretcher.

The Boston Celtics won their fifth-straight game with a 123-103 victory over the struggling Cleveland Cavaliers, while D'Angelo Russell claimed 25 points and 10 assists as the Brooklyn Nets beat the Orlando Magic 114-110.

Tobias Harris recorded 31 points as the Los Angeles Clippers beat the Miami Heat 111-99, Joel Embiid hit 33 and had 19 rebounds in the Philadelphia 76ers' narrow 122-120 win over the San Antonio Spurs and the Atlanta Hawks saw off the Chicago Bulls 121-101.

Elsewhere, there were wins for the Charlotte Hornets who saw off the Memphis Grizzlies 118-107, Blake Griffin claimed 37 points for the Detroit Pistons who beat the New Orleans Pelicans 98-94 and the Utah Jazz saw off the Denver Nuggets 114-108.