NBA scores 2016: James Harden goes into hero mode to keep Rockets’ playoff hopes alive

Harden had 41 points to lead the Rockets over the Thunder, plus the Warriors rebound, Blake Griffin returns and everything else from Sunday in the NBA.

by Liam Boylan-Pett

Apr 4, 2016, 1:00 PM UTC

Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Thanks to James Harden, the Houston Rockets are still alive. Harden scored 41 points and dished out nine assists as the Rockets picked up a much needed 118-110 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday.

Kevin Durant had 33 points and eight rebounds and Russell Westbrook had 23 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists as the Thunder failed to close out a winnable game in the fourth quarter.

Harden and the Rockets came up huge in crunch time to stun the Thunder while keeping their playoff hopes alive. At 38-39, the Rockets trail the Utah Jazz and Dallas Mavericks, who both won on Sunday to move to 39-38, by one game for a playoff spot in the West. The Rockets have huge game against the Mavericks on Wednesday, then close the season out with games against the Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers, Minnesota Timberwolves and Sacramento Kings.

They’ll need Harden at his best for the final five games. As Harden goes, so go the Rockets. It’s not a surprise, but his stats are light and day in wins compared to losses. He averages 31.1 points and eight assists per game when the Rockets win and only 26.3 points and 7.1 assists when they don’t.

The Rockets have struggled with effort all season, and Harden isn’t blameless. He falls asleep at times, too -- he’s well known for his defensive lapses. In wins, Harden’s usage rate (the percentage of plays that end with a player shooting the ball, turning it over, or getting to the free throw line) is 34.2 percent, per NBA.com/stats. In losses it falls to 30.8 percent. Harden creates for the Rockets, if he isn’t attacking with the ball in his hand, the Rockets aren’t doing much of anything.

He attacked against the Thunder on Sunday, especially in the fourth quarter with 15 of his 41 points coming in the final 12 minutes. His knack of jumping into the body of a big man down low creates a tiny buffer that allows him to get a shot off. He was 12-of-25 from the field and 5-for-11 from deep. And he dished out nine assists, too. He’s the engine of the Rockets -- they’re lost without a huge effort from Harden.

41 points
9 assists @JHarden13 Highlights: https://t.co/TMrBt6k4Q1
— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) April 3, 2016

For the Thunder, it was another fourth quarter meltdown. They led by six early in the fourth and five with 6:50 to play, but they were outscored 23-10 in the final stretch. They were once again stagnant on offense, relying on isolation -- the Rockets knew exactly what was coming at them each play. The fourth quarter struggles aren't new, and it's keeping the Thunder from establishing themselves as contenders.

Why the Thunder aren't contenders in one graphic. That's nauseating. pic.twitter.com/XQ6njDyiL7
— Josh Eberley (@JoshEberley) April 3, 2016

With less than two weeks until the playoffs, there’s not much the Thunder can do other than hope that Westbrook and Durant are so good that their uninspired offensive sets don’t hold them back.

The Rockets are in the same boat: James Harden needs to be at his best in the final five games. Teams know that what’s coming at them, but if Harden is on fire there’s not much to do. And while it might not be enough to win an NBA title -- or even make the playoffs -- It’s the only shot Houston has at this point.

3 other things

Stephen Curry-Damian Lillard duals are must-see TV

The Golden State Warriors did what they've done following every loss this season: they won. Behind 39 points on 13-of-21 shooting from Stephen Curry, the Warriors coasted to an easy 136-111 win on Sunday to move to 69-8. While Curry was lighting up the stat sheet with nine made three-pointers, Damian Lillard was doing his best to keep pace. Lillard ended the night with 38 points as both stars put on a show. Curry wasn't just shooting, he had seven assists, too.

Lillard wasn’t shying away from the playmaking, either.

Two of the best players in the game going at it with their best is a treat. Curry has the upper hand right now, but Lillard has made a name for himself this season.

Blake Griffin is a little rusty, but he's back

After missing 45 games due to injury and a four-game suspension, Griffin returned to the court with the Los Angeles Clippers in a win over the Washington Wizards on Sunday. He had six points, five rebounds and four assists in 25 minutes. He wasn't the high-flying highlight reel he so often is -- he did finish one nice alley-oop -- but Griffin's return was a good sign for the Clippers with less than two weeks remaining in the regular season. While the Warriors and Spurs have dominated the conversation this year, the Clippers shouldn't be completely forgotten. The Clippers were solid without Griffin, but if they're going to have any chance of unseating one of the big two in the West, Griffin is going to need to be a factor.

The Indiana Pacers are hanging on by the skin of their teeth

The Pacers nearly coughed up an an 18-point lead against the New York Knicks on Sunday, but were able to pull away in the final two minutes after the Knicks tied it up in crunch time. They continue to struggle in late-game situations, but Paul George hit a clutch jumper with 23 seconds left to put the Pacers up for good. And the Pacers kept pace in their playoff push. The win over the Knicks moved them to 41-36, which puts them at seventh in the East -- they hold the tie-breaker over the Detroit Pistons, who are also 41-36. Both teams are two up on the Chicago Bulls, who picked up a huge win over the Milwaukee Bucks behind Jimmy Butler's 25 points. The Pacers might not be lighting up the league, but with a two game advantage with five to play, it looks like they're going to sneak into the postseason.

Play of the night

Andrew Wiggins not only dunked all over Salah Mejri, he stared him down after.