James Harden returns after bruising left knee

Breathe easy, Houston Rockets fans.

After hitting the floor and leaving the game with a bruised left knee in the second quarter Saturday, James Harden started the second half against the Detroit Pistons.

Harden had hurt the knee driving to the hoop with his patented Eurostep move, staying on the court for some time before limping to the locker room under his own power. Any Harden absence in concert with Dwight Howard's current injury would be a major threat to the Rockets' standing as an elite Western Conference team, as Harden's play has been paramount to keeping the team afloat through myriad injuries.

The league's leading scorer with 27 points per game, Harden also ranks third in player efficiency rating and is on a short list of mid-season MVP candidates.