Healthy Houston Rockets Appear Ready to Roll and Other Saturday NBA ...

Though power forward Terrence Jones remains sidelined by nerve problems, the Houston Rockets were as healthy as they've been in a while on Saturday night. Dwight Howard led them to a 108-96 victory with 26 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks in just 30 minutes-a huge line in the eight-time All-Star's return from a right knee strain that had sidelined him for 11 games.

The Rockets went 8-3 during that stretch, but there's little doubt they're a much better team when Howard's available and playing this kind of basketball.

'I feel pretty good,' Howard said after the game via NBA TV's coverage. 'You know I'm still just trying to get my timing back and everything. It was a little rusty, but I'm just happy we got the win and just happy to be playing at home in front of our fans.'

That hope turned out to be well-founded. Aside from a characteristically poor 8-for-17 outing from the free-throw line, Howard was in top form and converted on nine of his 11 field-goal attempts.

His numbers were only part of the story. As had the The Houston Chronicle's Jonathan Feigen noted after the game, Howard, ' Nuggets shying away from the lane much of the game when he was on the floor and kept the Denver big men in near constant foul trouble.'

It's the kind of all-around impact you might expect from a three-time Defensive Player of the Year.

'I'm just thankful to be back out there,' Howard told reporters before the game. 'Nobody wants to sit on the bench in a suit and watch his team play. You want to get out there in the action.

'But I'm happy to be back out there, thankful. I thank God for just allowing me to be able to play again. I'm just happy to play again. That's the big thing.'

And while it wasn't as big of a thing, it's worth noting the 29-year-old passed a milestone while attacking the glass this evening.

Dwight Howard gets his double-double in 22 minutes with rebound No. 10 tonight No. 10,000 in his career.

- Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) December 14, 2014

Howard becomes the third-youngest player to reach 10,000 rebounds behind Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell (h/t NBA TV).

Suffice it to say, Houston isn't the same team with 23-year-old Tarik Black manning the middle. The Rockets' somewhat surprising depth deserves its share of credit for the club's 18-5 start, but sustaining that success throughout the season will be significantly easier without injuries getting in the way.

Starting point guard Patrick Beverley played his fourth consecutive game, a good sign after missing 12 games on account of a hamstring injury he suffered against the Utah Jazz back on Oct. 29. He noted some buzz around the club's improving fortunes.

Scott Halleran/Getty Images

'I don't see anything but good things to happen with Dwight,' Beverley told reporters earlier on Saturday. 'I'm excited. Our team is excited. Our coaching staff, they're very excited. I know our fans are excited. We're starting to get some healthy guys back. That's a big key right now.'

Reserves Isaiah Canaan, Francisco Garcia and Kostas Papanikolaou remain sidelined along with Jones with various ailments, but Houston should stay hot so long as its two best players are on the floor.

Shooting guard James Harden has carried this team amidst the adversity, leading the league in scoring with 26.4 points per contest through his first 22 appearances. He finished with a triple-double on Saturday (24 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists), showing off the versatility that's helped keep Houston among the league's elite.

His job will get a whole lot easier if Howard keeps producing like he did against Denver.

Around the Association

Warriors Streak to Win No. 15 Despite Authoritative Shoe Swat

New head coach Steve Kerr is off to the best start any rookie skipper's ever had in this league. His 20-2 Golden State Warriors won their 15th consecutive contest with a 105-98 victory over the Dallas Mavericks, building their title case with another quality victory against a would-be Western Conference contender.

Splash Brothers Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson combined for 54 points and 11 assists, but it was the former's attempt to pass a shoe that led to some of the afternoon's most entertaining drama.

Attempting to return a loose sneaker to teammate Marreese Speights, Curry encountered some of Tyson Chandler's highly-touted defense. The Mavs center is averaging 1.5 blocks per game this season, but his disruption of the shoe assist won't pad those statistics.

The loss marked Dallas' fifth against the West's top seven teams. It will have plenty more opportunities to change that trend, but questions about this club's title readiness may persist in the meantime.

Tobias Harris Ends Hawks' Streak at Buzzer

The Atlanta Hawks had won nine-straight games coming into Saturday night's game, but a pull-up jumper from Tobias Harris thwarted any hopes of adding to that streak. The 22-year-old secured the 100-99 at the buzzer just moments after Kyle Korver gave Atlanta the lead with a three-pointer.

It was Harris' second buzzer-beating game winner this season after he broke a tie with the Philadelphia 76ers on Nov. 5.

Orlando is now 10-16 this season, two games behind the No. 8 seed Brooklyn Nets and eyeing a very real opportunity to crack the playoff conversation as the season unfolds. It's a young team, but wins like this are garnering some well-deserved attention.

Mike Conley Rides Career High to OT Win

The Sixers were up by 18 points with seven minutes and 16 seconds remaining in regulation, but Memphis Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley saved some of his best for when it mattered most and headlined a 120-115 victory in overtime.

He scored 16 of his career-high 36 points in the fourth quarter, including a late three-pointer that tied the game and forced overtime. The 27-year-old made another three-pointer with 23 seconds remaining in overtime, stretching Memphis' lead to an insurmountable seven points.

Despite the scare, Memphis is now 19-4 this season and still holds the second-best record out West.

More news from around the league on its way.

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