Detroit used a run to cut Houston's lead to six points with about six minutes left before the Rockets scored the next eight points, with six from Harden to make it 113-99 about a minute later.

But Griffin made three 3-pointers, with the first two on consecutive possessions, to fuel a 9-2 run that got Detroit to 115-108 with 3 1/2 minutes left.

James Ennis made a 3-pointer for Houston after that, but Griffin scored the next five points, with another 3-pointer to cut the lead to 118-113 with two minutes left.

Harden added a basket on a goaltending call, but Griffin made yet another 3 to make it 120-116 before his late errors.

The Rockets scored the first seven points of the third quarter to make it 65-57, but Detroit scored the next eight, with 3s by Reggie Jackson and Langston Galloway to tie it.

The Rockets were up 81-73 later in the third when Tucker got hit by Griffin on a screen and began complaining to an official.

He received a technical foul, but that didn't stop him from continuing to get in the officials' face and yell at him, drawing a second technical and an ejection.

Chasing 'The Dream'

Harden's performance on Wednesday night gave him 13,391 career points with the Rockets to move him past Rudy Tomjanovich and into third place on the team's all-time scoring list.

Harden was pleased to move up the list but knows taking first place from Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon, who is Houston's all-time leading scorer with 26,511 points, will be a huge task.

"We all know how great he was in the league and for this team," Harden said of Tomjanovich.

"So, it's an honor. But I've got a long way to go to catch The Dream."

Associated Press