Harden drops 40, collects 13th triple-double of the season

It certainly wasn't the Houston Rockets' best performance of the season, but James Harden once again continued his offensive dominance in Tuesday night's contest against the Miami Heat.

The 6-foot-5 point guard finished with 40 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists, collecting his 13th triple-double of 2016-17 in the 109-103 defeat. It was also his fourth 40-point triple-double of the season - the most by any player over the last 30 years.

The season may only be halfway done, but Harden has already made a strong case for MVP, averaging a league-leading 11.7 assists to go along with 28.4 points and 8.3 rebounds for the much-improved Rockets.

While still far from a defensive stalwart, Harden has improved his play on the other end of the floor - something that isn't likely to go unnoticed by voters this spring.

Harden will look for his third straight triple-double on Wednesday when Houston faces the up-and-coming Milwaukee Bucks.