Rockets top Spurs without Harden

SAN ANTONIO » Christian Wood had 27 points and 15 rebounds and the Houston Rockets rallied to beat the San Antonio Spurs 109105 on Thursday night in their first game since trading franchise cornerstone James Harden.

Sterling Brown, who took Harden’s spot in the starting lineup, had 23 points, seven rebounds and three assists in 36 minutes.

Spurs forward Keldon Johnson had a careerhigh 29 points, and Lonnie Walker IV added 16 points,

Houston was playing its first game since sending Harden to the Brooklyn Nets in a fourteam blockbuster trade Wednesday. Victor Oladipo, Dante Exum and Rodions Kurucs, who the Rockets acquired along with numerous draft picks and draft swaps for Harden, are not with the team yet. The Rockets were also without John Wall and Eric Gordon due to injuries. The upheaval led to more minutes for the remaining roster, and they took advantage of it.

76ERS 125, HEAT 108 »

Shake Milton scored 31 points, and Ben Simmons had 10 points, 10 assists and 12 rebounds to help Philadelphia beat Miami.

RAPTORS 111, HORNETS 108 »

Chris Boucher had 25 points and 10 rebounds, Kyle Lowry had 16 points and 12 assists, and Toronto beat Charlotte.

PACERS 111, BLAZERS 87 »

Domantas Sabonis had 23 points and 15 rebounds to lead Indiana past Portland.

Malcolm Brogdon added 25 points and seven assists for the Pacers, who improved to 4-1 on the road this season and snapped an 11-game losing streak in Portland.