Rockets 114, Pistons 97: Dwight Howard led the way with a season-high 35 points to go with 19 rebounds and three blocks as visiting Houston bounced back by burying Detroit.

Chandler Parsons added 20 points and Francisco Garcia scored 16 while starting in place of James Harden, who sat out to rest a sore ankle. Howard went 13-of-18 from the field for the Rockets, who shot 55.7 percent after posting a season-low scoring total in Friday’s 114-81 loss at Indiana.

Josh Smith scored 19 points to lead the Pistons, who have dropped back-to-back games and six of nine. Kyle Singler added 12 points off the bench and Greg Monroe collected 10 points and 11 rebounds for Detroit.

Houston ended the first quarter with a 12-2 run to grab a 33-24 lead and never trailed again. Back-to-back 3-pointers from Garcia after a 30-foot bomb from Aaron Brooks early in the second made it a 44-27 gap, and the Rockets went into the half up by eight.

Parsons capped an 11-4 run with a layup to make it a 79-63 lead with just over three minutes left in the third, and Parsons’ jumper at the buzzer made it an 86-71 gap heading into the final stanza. Parsons found Howard for a layup to make it 109-90 with 2:33 left before the benches started to empty.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Harden is day-to-day while Houston G Jeremy Lin (back) missed his fourth straight game. ... The Pistons went 1-for-12 from beyond the arc. ... Detroit C Andre Drummond was held to six rebounds - his lowest total since Nov. 8.