The Houston Rockets took on the Boston Celtics on Saturday night and came away with an impressive victory thanks to the dominant play of James Harden. The Rockets superstar put on a clinic, scoring 45 points while adding 9 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals to lead his team to a 127-113 win over the Celtics.
Harden’s Scoring Barrage
Right from the opening tip, Harden was in attack mode. He scored 12 points in the first quarter and never looked back. He continued to pour in points throughout the game, scoring 21 in the second quarter alone. By the end of the night, he had made 13 of his 24 shot attempts, including 9 of 18 from beyond the arc.
Harden’s scoring barrage was simply too much for the Celtics to handle. Boston tried to throw different defenders at him, but none were able to slow him down. He was hitting shots from all over the court, including a number of step-back three-pointers that left Celtics defenders shaking their heads in disbelief.
Impressive Supporting Cast
While Harden was the star of the show, he had plenty of help from his supporting cast. Eric Gordon chipped in with 20 points off the bench, while Danuel House Jr. added 17 points and 7 rebounds. Russell Westbrook had a quiet night by his standards, finishing with just 10 points and 5 assists, but he still managed to impact the game in other ways.
The Rockets’ bench was also impressive, outscoring the Celtics’ reserves 42-26. Austin Rivers was the standout performer, scoring 10 points and dishing out 6 assists in just 18 minutes of play.
Celtics Struggle to Keep Pace
While the Celtics put up a good fight, they were never really in the game. They trailed by double digits for most of the second half and were unable to mount a serious comeback. Kemba Walker led the way for Boston with 37 points, but he didn’t get much help from his teammates.
Jayson Tatum struggled with his shot, finishing with just 15 points on 5-of-15 shooting. Jaylen Brown was also quiet, scoring just 9 points in 26 minutes of play. The Celtics will need more from their supporting cast if they hope to compete with the league’s top teams.
What This Means for the Rockets
The Rockets have been playing some of their best basketball of the season in recent weeks, and this win over the Celtics only adds to their momentum. They have now won 4 of their last 5 games and are starting to look like a serious threat in the Western Conference.
With Harden playing at an MVP level and the supporting cast stepping up, the Rockets have the potential to make a deep playoff run. They still have some work to do to catch up to the Lakers and Clippers, but they are certainly a team to watch in the coming weeks.
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James Harden put on a scoring clinic, dropping 45 points to lead the Houston Rockets to a 127-113 win over the Boston Celtics. This article breaks down the key moments and players from the game.
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James Harden, Houston Rockets, Boston Celtics, NBA, basketball, scoring, dominant, victory, Kemba Walker, Eric Gordon, Danuel House Jr.
