HOUSTON - Today, the NBA announced that James Harden has been named Western Conference Player of the Week for games played from Monday, Dec. 12 through Sunday, Dec. 18. It is the second time this season, and the 11th time in his career, that Harden has received Player of the Week honors, all coming with Houston. Hakeem Olajuwon (12 times) is the only Rocket with more Player of the Week awards.
Harden led the Rockets to a 4-0 record last week, while averaging 27.0 points, 12.8 assists, and 9.8 rebounds. He recorded consecutive triple-doubles against Sacramento on Wednesday, Dec. 14 and vs. New Orleans on Friday, Dec. 16, and was one rebound shy of averaging a triple-double for the entire week. The triple-double against the Pelicans gave him 15 for his career, all coming as a Rocket. That surpassed Olajuwon for the most triple-doubles in franchise history.
In Houston’s final game of the week, at Minnesota on Saturday, Dec. 17, Harden helped the Rockets overcome a 17-point third quarter deficit and scored 10 of his 28 points in overtime to give the team its 10th straight win. That marks the Rockets longest winning streak since a franchise-best 22-game span from Jan. 29 through March 16, 2008.
For the season, Harden is averaging 27.7 points, 11.8 assists, and 8.0 rebounds. He ranks fifth in the league in scoring and first in assists. Oscar Robertson (3 times) is the only player to have averaged at least 27.0 points, 11.0 assists, and 8.0 rebounds in a single season.
Harden has recorded 21 point/assist double-doubles in the 28 games this season. Dating back to 1992-93, Chris Paul (22 times in 2008-09), is the only player to have recorded more point/assist double-doubles within the first 28 games of a season. No other player has more than 16 games with 10-plus points and 10-plus assists this season.