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James Harden Named Western Conference Player of the Month

HOUSTON – Today, the NBA announced that James Harden has been named Western Conference Player of the Month for April.  It is the third time Harden has received Player of the Month honors, having won back-to-back months in December of 2014 and January of 2015.

Harden (6-5, 220) helped the Rockets to a 4-2 mark in April, closing out the season with three straight wins to secure Houston’s fourth consecutive playoff appearance.  For the month, he averaged 34.8 points, 7.2 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 1.67 steals while shooting 49.3% from the floor.  Harden also hit at least four 3-pointers in each of the six games, while averaging 5.0 3FGM on 51.7% shooting from behind-the-arc.

For the season, Harden averaged career-highs in scoring (29.0 ppg), assists (7.5 apg) and rebounding (6.1 apg).  He joined LeBron James, Michael Jordan and Oscar Robertson as the only players to average at least 29.0 points, 7.0 assists and 6.0 rebounds in a single season.  Harden is also one of four players to average at least 27.0 points, 7.0 assists and 5.0 rebounds in multiple seasons.

Harden’s scoring average was the second-highest in franchise history, trailing only Moses Malone’s 31.1 ppg in 1981-82.  Since joining the Rockets prior to the 2012-13 season, Harden has scored 533 more points than any other player in the league.

The Rockets open their best-of-seven first round playoff series at Golden State on Saturday, April 16 at 2:30 p.m. CT