In seven Christmas Day games with the Houston Rockets and Oklahoma City Thunder, James Harden has a 6-1 record with averages of 26.3 points (45.6% shooting), 6.7 assists, and 5.4 rebounds per game.
The superstar Rockets guard and 2018 MVP will look to keep that success going in Wednesday afternoon’s road game against the five-time defending Western Conference champion Golden State Warriors.
The Rockets (21-9) are significant favorites, considering that the Warriors (7-24) have the West’s worst record at the moment and are without Steph Curry and Klay Thompson due to long-term injuries.
However, even without Curry and Thompson, it’s not as if the Warriors — when otherwise healthy and not on load management — are devoid of talent. Forward Draymond Green and guard D’Angelo Russell are each former NBA All-Stars, and they’ve led the Warriors to consecutive wins heading into Wednesday’s matchup. Both are expected to play.
Thus, the Rockets may need a strong Harden performance in San Francisco to extend their current winning streak to five games. Fortunately for them, he’s delivered quite a few of those over the years on Christmas Day. Here’s a look at the best ones of his 11-year NBA career:
5.) Dec. 25, 2015
It was otherwise a season to forget for the Rockets, who followed up a Western Conference Finals appearance in 2014-15 with a 41-41 record and first-round exit in 2015-16. Harden has now been in Houston for eight seasons, and this was the only one in which the Rockets did not finish with a winning record. But their home Christmas Day game against the in-state rival San Antonio Spurs was one of the lone highlights.
Harden struggled from the field overall (7-of-21), but he hit a pair of massive three-pointers in the fourth quarter as the Rockets ended a seven-game San Antonio winning streak. Harden also helped Houston on defense, where they held Kawhi Leonard, Tim Duncan, and the rest of the Spurs to a season-low total of 84 points.
4.) Dec. 25, 2012
In Harden’s first season in Houston, the Rockets (15-12) routed the Bulls (15-12) in Chicago, 120-97. Harden led Houston with 26 points on just 13 shot attempts, making seven. The Rockets weren’t expected to be a playoff team entering 2012-13, but the Christmas Day showing put the team on the national map in a season where the Rockets finished at 45-37 and made the NBA playoffs for the first time in four years.
3.) Dec. 25, 2017
The Rockets lost, 112-107, in large part due to the injury absence of Chris Paul. But even in the lone Christmas loss to date of his tenure in Houston, Harden shined with 29 points, eight rebounds, and a game-high 14 assists. That kept the Rockets (25-7) in striking distance on the road, even without their Hall of Fame point guard.
This game might be more memorable in hindsight, since the Thunder were led by current Houston point guard and then-MVP Russell Westbrook with 31 points and 11 assists. Harden went on to earn the league’s MVP award after that 2018-19 season, and his Rockets finished with a franchise-best 65-17 record.
2.) Dec. 25, 2013
In the first year of Harden’s partnership with Dwight Howard, the Rockets (19-11) made an early statement that they were much improved from the prior season. Houston boosted its win total by nine games from 2012-13 to 2013-14, and they put that improvement on full display on Christmas Day with a commanding 111-98 victory in San Antonio.
Led by Duncan and Leonard, the Spurs (22-7) went on to win the NBA title later that season. But Harden had his way on Dec. 25, scoring 16 of his game-high 28 points in the fourth quarter. Harden hit 11-of-16 shots (68.8%) overall, including all three of his attempts from three-point range, and he also had six assists, six rebounds, and two blocks.
1.) Dec. 25, 2018
Rockets fans don’t have to think back far for Harden’s most memorable Christmas Day performance. Just one year ago, Harden tallied 41 points and seven assists as Houston got its revenge from the prior season’s holiday loss against Westbrook’s Thunder with a 113-109 victory.
Harden’s 41-point total from a year ago is the second highest of any active NBA player, trailing only 44 points from then-teammate Kevin Durant on Dec. 25, 2010.
As for 2018, the Christmas performance was the seventh consecutive game with 30+ points for Harden, who went on to record 32 straight games of 30+ points. That streak was the second longest in NBA history.
What might 2019 bring, as far as Harden’s legacy on the NBA’s signature holiday for games? We’ll find out when the Rockets face the Warriors on Christmas afternoon in San Francisco, with tip-off scheduled for 4 p.m. Houston time. Happy holidays to all our Rockets Wire readers!
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