Best of NBA: Howard stars in return to Houston as Hawks rally for win

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HOUSTON -- Dwight Howard scored 24 points and grabbed 23 rebounds in his first game back in Houston since signing with Atlanta in the offseason, leading the Hawks to a 113-108 victory over the Rockets on Thursday night.

Tim Hardaway Jr. had 33 points for Atlanta, including a driving dunk with less than a minute remaining that gave Atlanta a three-point lead.

The Hawks trailed by as many as 20 points and entered the fourth quarter down 13 before Howard led a late comeback.

James Harden had 41 points, eight assists and eight rebounds, but the Rockets struggled to make shots down the stretch.

Houston lost its lead when Hardaway Jr. was fouled on a driving layup and converted the free throw to give Atlanta a one-point lead with two minutes remaining.

Howard, who spent the last three seasons in Houston, received a mostly warm welcome by the Toyota Center crowd (see full recap).

Wall double-double lifts Wizards over Lakers
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- John Wall scored 33 points and had 11 assists, Bradley Beal added 23 points and Marcin Gortat tied his season high with 21 to lead the Washington Wizards to their sixth straight win, 116-108 over the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night.

It marks Washington's first six-game winning streak since Dec. 8-19, 2014. The Wizards have also won 16 straight at home -- the second-longest run in franchise history.

Jordan Clarkson led Los Angeles with 20 points.

Washington had a 14-point lead, 86-72 with 2:37 to play in the third quarter, but the Lakers, who have lost nine of 11, tied it at 91 with 9:10 to play.

Wall, who scored 16 points in the fourth quarter, including the Wizards' final eight, sealed the win with a steal with 1:18 to play. He converted a jumper with 1:06 left, another with 38 seconds remaining and added four late free throws (see full recap).

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