James Harden racked up his third Western Conference Player of the Week award this season, the NBA announced Monday.
The honor, which is for the week of Dec. 26 to Jan. 1, is the 12th of the All-Star point guard’s career, tying Hakeem Olajuwon for the most Player of the Week awards in franchise history.
Harden led the Rockets to a 4-0 record this week, averaging 37.3 points, 12.5 assists and 9.8 rebounds in 34 minutes per game. He shot 56 percent from the floor, 45.9 percent from 3-point range and 88.9 percent from the line. Harden was just one rebound shy from averaging a triple-double for the week.
Harden earned a unique distinction this week, becoming the first player in NBA history to score at least 30 points, 10 assists and five rebounds in a game in fewer than 30 minutes played, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. He scored a game-high 32 points and 12 assists without playing in the fourth quarter against Phoenix on Dec. 26. Harden also recorded a game-high of 34 points and 11 assists without playing in the fourth quarter against Dallas on Dec. 27.
He ended 2016 with a career-high 53 points and a career-high-tying 17 assists, as well as a Rockets’ season-high 16 rebounds, against the New York Knicks on New Year’s Eve. According to Elias, Harden became the first player in NBA history with at least 50 points, 15 rebounds and 15 assists in a single game.
The Washington Wizards’ John Wall earned the Eastern Conference Player of the Week honor. The Wizards will face off against the Rockets at 7 p.m. Monday.
