NBA wrap: 76ers shocks Rockets; Knicks wins again

NBA scores and highlights from Monday's action.

Philadelphia 76ers forward Robert Covington (right) and Houston Rockets guard Eric Gordon chase after a loose ball during the second half of their game on Monday.

76ers and Knicks used to the the laughing stock of the NBA. Knicks still has a long season ahead to end that stigma, but both teams picked up impressive wins on Monday.

Facing Rockets for the second time in the young season, Philadelphia earned a tough 115-107 win in Houston thanks to solid defence and contributions from future stars Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid down the stretch.

Read: Warriors, Cavaliers continue early-season struggles

Rockets (5-3) scored four points in the final 3:28 of the game and missed nine of its last 10 shots as Sixers (3-4) ended an eight-game series losing streak to move to 3-4 on the season. Simmons dropped 24 points, nine assists and seven rebounds while Embiid added 22 points.

Read: Warriors rallies to down Wizards

Eric Gordon, who knocked down a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to beat Sixers on October 18, scored 25 points and James Harden had 29 in the Rockets (5-3) loss.

Knicks (3-3) recorded its third straight win on Monday in a 116-110 win over Nuggets at Madison Square Garden.

Kristaps Porzingis dropped a career-high 38 points with seven rebounds but the star of the game might have been bench player Kyle O'Quinn. Knicks’ big man scored 15 in 21 minutes despite taking just four shots in the game. He was 9 of 10 from the free-throw line with 12 rebounds and five blocks while registering a team-best plus-14.

Knicks will look for its fourth consecutive win on Wednesday against Rockets.

STUDS OF THE NIGHT

Jazz centre Rudy Gobert had 17 points, 12 rebounds, six assists, and six blocks as Utah topped the Mavericks 104-89.

Pelicans big man Anthony Davis, who was banged up last week, scored 39 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in a 115-99 loss to the upstart Magic (5-2).

DUDS OF THE NIGHT

Trail Blazers (4-3) scored its first and only field goal of the second quarter with 5.4 seconds remaining in the half. Portland was just 1 of 17 from the field in the quarter en route to a 99-85 home loss to Raptors. Al-Farouq Aminu and Maurice Harkless scored just four points each in a combined 71 minutes.

HIGHLIGHT

Celtics (5-2) beat Spurs (4-3) for its fifth straight victory as Kyrie Irving scored 24 points for the third straight game.