James Harden scores 41 in crucial win over Thunder
Entering Sunday out of a playoff position, the Houston Rockets looked to last year's MVP runner-up to give the team a much-needed win over the mighty Oklahoma City Thunder.
James Harden responded with a terrific performance to begin the month, dropping 41 points and nine assists on 12-of-25 shooting to help give the Rockets a 118-110 victory, as Houston continues to battle the Dallas Mavericks and Utah Jazz for a spot in the postseason.
The 26-year-old saved his best for last, scoring 15 in the final frame, badly outplaying former teammate Kevin Durant for much of the fourth. Even more impressive, Harden outscored the All-Star duo of Durant and Russell Westbrook (15 to 14) in the fourth quarter.
The defining play of the evening surprisingly came on the defensive end, when Harden stole the ball from Durant with under a minute remaining to seal the victory for Houston.
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Given Harden's tremendous impact on offense, a consistent effort on the defensive end would likely give the Rockets a big enough boost to get back into the postseason. Harden has been turning it up of late, posting a respectable 103.7 defensive rating over his last six contests.
Facing the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday evening, Houston will likely need another big game from Harden on both ends of the floor to guide the team one step closer to the playoffs.