HOUSTON – Today, the NBA announced that Houston Rockets guard James Harden was named Western Conference Player of the Month for December. It marks the fourth time Harden has received the honor, all coming as a Rocket. Only Hakeem Olajuwon (six times) has more Player of the Month awards in franchise history.
For the month, Harden averaged 28.3 points, 12.0 assists, 9.1 rebounds, and 1.53 steals while helping the Rockets to a 15-2 mark. The 15 wins tied the franchise record for the most in a single month (November of 1996).
Harden opened the month by recording a triple-double with 29 points, 15 rebounds and 13 assists in the Rockets double-overtime win at Golden State on Dec. 1. That marked the first of 10 straight wins for the Rockets, during which Harden was seven rebounds shy of averaging a triple-double. In the final game of that streak at Minnesota on Dec. 17, Harden scored 10 of his 28 points in overtime, helping the Rockets complete a 17-point come-from-behind win over the Timberwolves.
The four-time All-Star posted five triple-doubles in December, including a career-high 53 points, a career-high tying 17 assists and a Rockets season-high 16 rebounds on New Year's Eve vs. New York. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, he was the first player in NBA history to record at least 50 points, 15 rebounds, and 15 assists in a single game.
Harden ranks fourth in the league in scoring this season with 28.4 points per game and is averaging a league-high 11.9 assists, along with 8.2 rebounds. Oscar Robertson (3 times) is the only player in NBA history to have averaged at least 28.0 points, 11.0 assists, and 8.0 rebounds in a single season.
Last season, Harden averaged career highs of 29.0 points, 7.5 assists, and 6.1 rebounds. He became the fourth different player to average at least 29.0 points, 7.0 assists, and 6.0 rebounds in a single season and the fourth player to average at least 27.0 points, 7.0 assists and 5.0 rebounds in multiple seasons.
