Coming
into their Tuesday tilt versus the Orlando Magic, Houston Rockets All-Star
guard James Harden knew he was going to have put his fingerprints all over the
game in the absence of his backcourt mate Chris Paul, and starting small
forward Trevor Ariza. Even he could not have imagined the kind of record
setting performance he put on for the Toyota Center faithful.
In
the Rockets (37-13) 114-107 victory over the struggling Magic (15-35), James
Harden had his third triple-double of the season, and the 34th of
his career setting a new franchise record 60 points, to go along with 11
assists, and 10 rebounds, to go along with four steals.
Clint
Capela had a double-double with 12 points, to go along with 13 rebounds, and
three blocks. Gerald Green had 11 points, and six boards off the bench, and
Ryan Anderson had 10 points.
“I’ve
never seen a performance like that,” Green, a Houston native said after the
win. “I caught myself just being a true fan throughout the whole game … what he
did today was remarkable.”
Harden
finished with a flourish with 18 points in the fourth quarter, and his last
field goal was a three-pointer, that he was fouled on by Magic guard Mario
Hezonja, and completed the four-point play with a free throw, which also
surpassed his previous career-high of 56 points that he had back in a victory
versus the Utah Jazz in November.
That
four-point play capped a 6-0 personal run by Harden after Magic center Marreese
Speights tied it at 107 with just under four minutes left, and the Rockets
never looked back.
“Tonight,
it was ultra-aggressive,” Harden. Also known as “The Beard,” said after the
game. “We needed to pick up our playmaking, and just our scoring. And so, just
from the beginning of the game I was in attack mode.”
“First
half, I couldn’t make a three. I think I was 0 for 6, or 7, but just continued
to stay with it. Second half my threes started to fall, and just being the
playmaker I am.”
Along
with setting the single-game scoring record in Rockets’ history, Harden’s performance
set a new all-time NBA mark for the highest scoring triple-double. The previous
mark was set by reigning league MVP of the Oklahoma City Thunder Russell
Westbrook last season with 57 points. Harden is third on the list with a
triple-double scoring 53 points back in 2016, which was first done by the late
Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlin in 1968. Next on the list is Hall of Famer Elgin
Baylor, who had a 52-point triple-double in 1961.
Harden,
who was 19 for 30 from the field, including 5 for 14 from three-point range,
and 17 for 18 from the free throw line, surpassed the prior franchise record
57-point performance by Hall of Famer, and current Rockets pregame, and
postgame broadcaster Calvin Murphy.
Once
Harden clinched the Rockets’ single-game scoring mark, cameras in the Toyota
Center showed a shot of Murphy smiling and giving a round of applause of
Harden’s performance.
That
focus to remain in attack mode the whole night was much needed for the Rockets,
who again were without Paul, due to a sore injury. Ariza was on the shelf
because of an injured hamstring, and Sixth Man Eric Gordon left in the second
quarter because of a lower back issue.
“Other
than having a rhythm and trying to put the team on my back, it was much
needed,” Harden said after the game of his performance. “C.P. was out. Trevor
was out, and Eric had some soreness in his back earlier in the game. So it was
a much needed win for us, and I was just aggressive.”
Harden
history making effort came in 46 minutes and 26 seconds, which was a
career-high for a game that did not go into overtime, which earned him a lot of
kudos from the Magic and from a four-time league MVP.
“I
was shocked to see that,” Speights, who had 17 points, hitting 4 for 8 from
three-point range said of Harden’s incredible stamina after the game. “He
didn’t really get subbed out, and that shows the growth in his game, and the
maturity in his game.”
“That
was a heck of a performance when your second, third, and fourth options are
out. He’s likely the MVP of this year’s season. He did what he had to do to get
a win,” Magic head coach Frank Vogel said.
Cleveland
Cavaliers perennial All-Star LeBron James, four-time league MVP tweeted,
“That’s insane G! 60 point Triple Dub. Sheesh!!!’ He added five fire emojis
after his comment to show how impressed he was with Harden’s performance.
Since
being acquired by the Houston Rockets six off-seasons back, James Harden has gone
from a role player with the Oklahoma City Thunder, and their dynamic duo in
Westbrook, and now Golden State Warriors All-Star forward Kevin Durant to a
perennial All-Star, and legit MVP candidate in three of the past four seasons.
In those three seasons, he has been beaten out by Stephen Curry of the Golden
State Warriors, and Westbrook last season. He is in prime position to capture
his first one this season, and if he does, this performance will be the one
that tipped the scale in his favor, especially if the Rockets continue to win
at the level they have this season.
Information,
statistics, and quotations are courtesy of 1/31/18 1 a.m. “Players Only”
edition of “Inside the NBA,” presented by Kia on TNT with Chris Webber, Isiah
Thomas, Baron Davis, and Shaquille O’Neal; www.nba.com/games/20180130/ORLHOU#/boxscore/recap;
ww.nba.com/games/20180201/HOUSAS#/preview; www.espn.com/nba/player/stats/gamelog/_/id/3992/james-harden; www.espn.com/nba/standings;
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