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Harden notches 2nd 50-point triple-double of season in win over 76ers

USA Today Sports

James Harden of the Houston Rockets isn't putting up triple-doubles at the rate of Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star Russell Westbrook (really, who is?), but he's doing so with an efficiency on offense that we've never seen before.

For the second time this season, Harden posted a triple-double with 50 or more points in a 123-118 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on the road Friday night at the Wells Fargo Center.

In 39 minutes of action, the All-Star guard scored 51 points on 16-of-28 shooting from the field, 6-of-11 from behind the arc, and 13-of-14 from the charity stripe. He also grabbed 13 rebounds and dished out 13 assists for his 14th triple-double of the 2016-17 campaign and 24th of his career.

Never before in league history has anyone ever dropped at least 50 in a game and recorded a triple-double on two separate occasions in the same season. Five of his 14 triple-doubles also included 40 or more points, which ties the legendary Oscar Robertson (1963-64) for the record.

Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon held the franchise record for career triple-doubles with 14, which, as mentioned before, just so happens to be as many as Harden has through 50 games.

In 16 appearances since he put up his first 50-point triple-double on New Year's Eve, Harden has averaged 31.8 points, 11.1 assists, and 8.9 rebounds.

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