SUMMARY
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MANILA, Philippines – Even on Christmas Day, James Harden is the gift that keeps on giving.
The reigning NBA MVP erupted with 41 points on 15/35 (42.9%) shooting plus 6 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals and a block in the Houston Rockets’ 113-109 win at home over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday, December 26, Manila time.
Houston (18-15) climbs to the 8th spot in the West and has now won 7 of their last 8 games after a very rocky start to the season. Meanwhile, OKC falls to a 21-12 slate, still good for 3rd in the West standings
With just 20 seconds left in regulation, Harden got free for the clutch floater down the lane that gave the Rockets a 4-point lead, 112-108. Last year’s MVP Russell Westbrook then drew a foul on Houston’s newly-acquired guard Austin Rivers but only split his free-throws to inch within 3, 109-112. Rivers then got intentionally fouled with 7.4 ticks left and put the game away by splitting on the line as well, 113-109.
Swiss center Clint Capela added a monster double-double of 16 points and a Christmas Day record 23 rebounds in the tooth-and-nail war with their fellow Western Conference contenders. Rivers played 31 minutes off the bench in his Rockets debut and finished with 10 markers, 2 boards and a dime while usual starter Chris Paul sat out with a left hamstring injury.
Westbrook came a board and an assist shy of another triple-double and finished with 21 points on an inefficient 6/20 (30%) clip. Paul George also couldn’t get his game going for the Thunder but still chipped in a 28-point, 14-rebound double-double, albeit on 10/25 (40%) shooting. – Rappler.com
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