The inner drive behind James Harden's 60-point game

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The inner drive behind James Harden's 60-point game
Ability to hang 60 speaks to Harden's inner drive as much as it does his scoring and ballhandling
By Jonathan Feigen, Houston Chronicle

January 31, 2018 Updated: January 31, 2018 10:05pm

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Photo: Steve Gonzales, Houston Chronicle

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James Harden was 19-of-30 from the field and 17-of-18 from the foul line in amassing 60 points Tuesday.

A day later, the Rockets considered all the skills on display in James Harden's masterpiece but kept coming back to the qualities that go far beyond shooting or ballhandling.

They did speak of Harden's vision as a playmaker, his repertoire as a scorer. Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni cited his fitness to not only play 461/2 minutes but to grow stronger in the fourth quarter, when he found his 3-point touch to finish with the first 60-point triple double in NBA history and the top scoring game ever for a Rockets player.



There was more, however, to what made Tuesday night's performance in the Rockets' 114-107 win over the Magic possible.

Harden's gifts might begin with skills and feel for the game. His triumph was from a determination to do whatever necessary.


"He just loves to play," D'Antoni said. "To come out is no fun for him. He doesn't want to come out. He knows he has to for his career. That just shows he loves to play. The more he plays, the better shape he gets. He's a gamer. What he did last night was incredible."

What he did was unprecedented but in some ways typical in that Harden will always insist he can keep playing, always believe he can make the next play. Harden will also believe the solutions can always be found on the court, from off-day workouts he hates to alter to pregame drills to playing all but 94 seconds when the Rockets were without Chris Paul, Trevor Ariza and Eric Gordon and needed him to carry them.

"If we had Chris or Eric, he would have played his regular 36 or 38 minutes," D'Antoni said. "Having said that, he was fresh. We kept talking with him during the game. He felt great. If he didn't, he wouldn't have played all the minutes, and we would have been in trouble."

Staying on the floor

So Harden played and kept on playing, not just staying on the floor but doing everything necessary through that time. And when he was finished, he said, "I could still keep playing."

This was not just about stamina, though Harden needed plenty of that. It was also about a night when he was so in control, he not only piled up numbers but made it all seem routine, never needing to hurry or make a play he had not many times before.

The most spectacular highlights were the step-back jumpers that are central to his scoring. (Harden's average of 31.6 points per game is a personal best, leads the NBA and would be a Rockets record for a full season.) But they have become so common that when Harden was asked about them in Dallas last week, he said, "Have you ever seen me play?"



"That's what he does, man," Rockets forward P.J. Tucker said. "From years of guarding him, to now being on his team, seeing how hard he works on his game and what he does to prepare for those moments, he practices those shots. I've seen him practice those shots every day. Even today, he'll get those shots up. He's not satisfied. He still wants to work hard. For him to be the leader of our team, it's good to see that.

"That was incredible, man. It wasn't like it was a perfect game for him. He started 0-for-7 from 3. Still controlled the game, did the things he does. He's so good at picking his spots, when he wants to take over, the times that he passes. He just reads the game. It wasn't the points. It was his rebounding and getting other guys involved. It was one of the best, if not the best, I've ever seen."

Circumstantial need

Eventually, Harden recognized that his performance was "a great accomplishment." The texts and tweets from around the league offered clear evidence. But he described his performance as entirely driven by circumstances.

"It was a close game," Harden said. "It was a tough game. They had the lead at halftime. We made a push. They fought back. We could never get away. We could never get three, four stops in a row and get some offense going. It came down to the last few minutes of the game and, you know, did what we needed to do.

"It's a great accomplishment, especially when you have your peers and guys around the league congratulating you, something that's never been done before. Take it for what it is. Soak it all in and today get ready for San Antonio."

That he needed others to tell him his game was something special spoke to how Harden did it. He seemed unimpressed because he generally did what he has many times before, just for longer.

"I could tell early he was dialed in," D'Antoni said. "I knew he was going to play a lot of minutes. I'm looking up there, and it was going to be a monster game for him. I couldn't tell where that goes. A monster game is having 40 points. Sixty is ridiculous. I knew he's capable of it. It's fun to watch. It's fun to be a part of it and see somebody that great play."

 

"That's what he does, man," Rockets forward P.J. Tucker said. "From years of guarding him, to now being on his team, seeing how hard he works on his game and what he does to prepare for those moments, he practices those shots. I've seen him practice those shots every day. Even today, he'll get those shots up. He's not satisfied. He still wants to work hard. For him to be the leader of our team, it's good to see that.



This part really stands out to me