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Harden Named Player of the Week

HOUSTON – Houston Rockets guard James Harden was named today by the NBA as Western Conference Player of the Week for games played Monday, Dec. 8 through Sunday, Dec. 14. It marks the first time this season he has won the award, but the sixth such honor of his career (Player of the Week for weeks ending: 11/4/12, 1/6/13, 3/24/13, 3/2/14 and 3/9/14). With six Player of the Week Honors, Harden ties Yao Ming for the third most of such honors in franchise history (Olajuwon, 12 and McGrady 7).

Harden (6-5, 220, Arizona State) averaged 34.0 points (.443, 35-79 FG; .348, 8-23 3FG; .857, 24-48 FT), 7.3 assists, 7.0 rebounds, 2.7 steals and 1.0 blocks in leading Houston to a 2-1 week with an overtime road win over the Sacramento Kings and a home win over the Denver Nuggets. He started the week with his NBA leading eighth and ninth performances of 30 points or more with 34 points against the Golden state Warriors on Dec. 10 and a season-high 44 points against the Sacramento Kings in a 113-109 overtime victory on Dec. 11.  The 44 point output in Sacramento marked Harden’s sixth performance of 40 points or more in his career.  James Harden finished the week with a 24 point, 10 rebound and 10 assist performance in a 105-93 win over the Denver Nuggets on Dec. 13 marking the third triple-double of his career.