Rockets star James Harden makes history with 60-point efficiency

Rockets star James Harden made all history with 60 points on just 24 shots in three quarters during Houston’s big win Saturday over Atlanta.

Rockets superstar James Harden scored 60 points in just three quarters in Houston’s 158-111 romp over the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday night.

Harden put up his numbers on remarkable efficiency, shooting 16-of-24 (66.7%) overall and 8-of-14 (57.1%) on three-pointers. The NBA’s scoring leader also had eight assists, and he led the Rockets with an astounding plus/minus figure of +50 in his 31 minutes (box score).

The 60 points were just one shy of Harden’s career-high total of 61, but he did not play at all in the fourth quarter — since Houston led by an overwhelming 54-point margin heading into it. Harden didn’t seem to realize how close he was to his personal mark, until his stat line was put on the giant screen at Toyota Center in Houston.

Even so, Harden made all sorts of history with Saturday’s performance. For starters, his 60 points on 24 field-goal attempts were the fewest of any player in NBA history to score 60.

Harden also tied Michael Jordan for career 60+ point games at four, which is the third-most in NBA history. No other active NBA player has more than one 60+ point game.

Harden scored 29 of his 60 points in the third quarter. In the first half, the Hawks routinely doubled the former NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP), but Harden and the Rockets proved they could counter that strategy as well. After doing so, there were fewer immediate double-teams.

The 47-point victory was the second in a row for the Rockets (13-6), who return to action Tuesday night in San Antonio. The overall 158-point total was one point short of Houston’s high for the 2019-20 season of 159 points, which came in an Oct. 30 win at Washington.

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