Draymond Green and Kevin Durant reunited but Warriors lose heavily in Houston

Draymond Green's return to the Golden State side could not prevent the Warriors losing 107-86 to the Houston Rockets.

Green had been handed a one-game suspension following an altercation with team-mate Kevin Durant during Monday's defeat to the Los Angeles Clippers.

Warriors had returned to winning ways against the Atlanta Hawks as Green sat out, but the back-to-back NBA champions suffered a third defeat in their last five games on Thursday.

Green did not contribute a point, while Durant scored 20 for the Warriors, who were again missing star Steph Curry.

James Harden scored 27 points for the Rockets as they recorded a third straight win, boosted by a fourth-quarter run of 21 unanswered points.

The Denver Nuggets produced a superb display to thrash the Atlanta Hawks 138-93.

Juancho Hernangomez scored a season-high 25 points as seven players reached double figures.

The Nuggets raced to a 13-0 start were 75-57 up at half-time.

Paul Millsap and Gary Harris finished with 18 points each, and replacements Trey Lyles and Jamal Murray added 14 as Denver ended a four-game losing streak.

In the night's other game, the Clippers beat the San Antonio Spurs 116-111, with Lou Williams scoring nine points in the final four minutes to add to his top score of 23.