HOUSTON – Today, the NBA announced that James Harden has been named Western Conference Player of the Week for games played from Monday, Dec. 26 through Sunday, Jan. 1. It is the third time this season, and the 12th time in his career, that Harden has received Player of the Week honors, all coming with Houston. He ties Hakeem Olajuwon for the most Player of the Week awards in franchise history.
Harden led the Rockets to a 4-0 mark for the week, averaging 37.3 points, 12.5 assists, and 9.8 rebounds in just 34.0 minutes per game while shooting 56.0% from the floor, 45.9% from 3-point range and 88.9% from the line. He was one rebound shy of averaging a triple-double for the week.
In the first game of the week vs. Phoenix on Dec. 26, Harden had game-highs of 32 points and 12 assists without playing in the fourth quarter. He also didn't appear in the fourth quarter at Dallas on Dec. 27 and tallied game-highs of 34 points and 11 assists in 29:57 minutes of play. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, he became the first player in NBA history to record at least 30 points, 10 assists, and 5 rebounds in a game with fewer than 30 minutes played.
On Dec. 30 against the Los Angeles Clippers, Harden had 30 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists, and 5 steals, becoming the first player to post those numbers in a single game since Derrick Coleman in April of 1993.Harden capped off the week against New York on New Year's Eve by scoring a career-high 53 points, with a career-high tying 17 assists, and a Rockets season-high 16 rebounds. According to Elias, he became the first player in NBA history with at least 50 points, 15 rebounds, and 15 assists in a single game. Harden also hit a career-high 9 3-pointers against the Knicks, which tied for the second-most in a single game in franchise history.
The four-time All-Star recorded at least 30 points and 10 assists in each of the four games. He also had 30-plus points and 10-plus assists in four straight games at the start of November. Those are the two longest streaks of recording at least 30 points and 10 assists by any player since a five-game span by Michael Jordan in April of 1989.
