KEY POINTS
- James Harden put up his seventh triple-double in 22 games with the Brooklyn Nets
- Harden committed 0 turnovers in 44 minutes of action
- Harden joined the likes of LeBron James and Chris Paul as players to score 30+ points and record 15+ assists without commiting a turnover in a game
James Harden continues to show why he’s the Brooklyn Nets’ real MVP.
The high-scoring two-guard was in his bag once again as he and the Nets bounced back to beat the San Antonio Spurs, 124-133, in overtime on Monday in San Antonio, Texas.
Harden, who was recently named as an NBA All-Star for the ninth time in his career, finished with a triple-double, amassing an incredible 30 points to go along with 15 assists and 13 rebounds.
Making that stat line even more impressive is that Harden committed 0 turnovers in 44 minutes of action.
James Harden #13 of the Houston Rockets and teammate Kevin Durant #35 of the Golden State Warriors and Team LeBron watch on from the bench during the NBA All-Star game as part of the 2019 NBA All-Star Weekend at Spectrum Center on February 17, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Photo: Streeter Lecka/Getty Images
According to StatMuse, Harden was just the fourth player since 1985 to put up 30+ points, 15+ assists, and 0 turnovers in a game. The other players to do it over that span were LeBron James, Chris Paul and John Stockton.
Harden is also the first player to record 30+ points, 15+ assists, 10+ rebounds, and 0 turnovers in a game.
The Nets’ win wasn’t without drama, however, as things came down to the wire in regulation. After leading by as much as 12 points midway through the fourth quarter, they blew the lead and were holding on to a two-point advantage with just seconds left on the clock.
With five seconds to go, Kyrie Irving missed a potential game-sealing layup for the Nets, and Dejounte Murray came up big by sinking a jumper at the buzzer to force OT.
In the extension period, Harden and Irving took over to lead the Nets to victory. The latter tallied with 27 points, seven assists, and six rebounds of his own, while Bruce Brown added 23 points for the franchise.
DeMar DeRozan led the way for the Spurs with 22 points, 11 assists, and six rebounds. Meanwhile, Murray contributed 19 markers, eight dimes, and six boards.
The Nets improved to 23-13, while the Spurs dropped to 17-13.
