Rockets star Harden leaves game with apparent knee injury

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) Houston Rockets star James Harden has left in the second quarter against the Detroit Pistons with a bruised left knee, but was able to return at the start of the second half.

Harden walked toward the locker room under his own power, but only after he remained down for a while after falling to the floor on a drive to the basket Saturday night. The 25-year-old guard came into the game averaging an NBA-best 27 points per game.

He was back at the beginning of the third quarter to try to play on.

The Rockets have already been without center Dwight Howard because of swelling in his right knee. Harden was on the pregame injury report with a bruised right knee, but was in the starting lineup.