After a weird start to the season following an extra weird preseason trip to Asia, the Rockets are humming, winners of four straight and 7-3 on the season, in the mix of five presumptive West contenders within a half-game of No. 1. More importantly, James Harden is completely off the rails, averaging 37.3 points per game through 10, the highest average to start a season in 50 years. Adding high-usage Russell Westbrook has crimped Harden’s scoring exploits at all.
James Harden: still good
We have that and more in Tuesday’s NBA newsletter.
Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images
Monday’s 39-point performance included a personal 13-0 run in the fourth quarter to break the game open. As Royce Young notes in the above-linked piece about Harden’s latest scoring record, the Rockets have been really good when just one of Harden and Westbrook are on the court and dicey when they are both on the court. We’ll see if that continues as the season wears on. Mike D’Antoni seems to be managing it well right now, and the duo really needs to play well together because you can’t sit Westbrook in crunch time against good teams and expect happiness.
But having such a powerful gravitational body as Harden is just an incredible advantage. He’s on track for his third straight scoring title, and maybe the highest scoring average since the days of Wilt Chamberlain. There’s a lot of season left, but it’s never too early to be reminded that we’re witnessing one of the greatest scorers ever ply his trade right now.
Scores
Wolves 120, Pistons 114
Mavericks 106, Celtics 116
Grizzlies 113, Spurs 109
Rockets 122, Pelicans 116
Jazz 122, Warriors 108
Raptors 88, Clippers 98
Schedule
All times ET. Games on League Pass unless otherwise noted.
Thunder at Pacers, 7 p.m.
Cavaliers at Sixers, 7 p.m., NBA TV
Pistons at Heat, 7:30 p.m.
Knicks at Bulls, 8 p.m.
Hawks at Nuggets, 9 p.m.
Lakers at Suns, 9 p.m.
Nets at Jazz, 9 p.m.
Blazers at Kings, 10 p.m., NBA TV
Links
I wrote about the true root of blame and fault in this latest Knicks nightmare amid pretty obvious evidence that the front office was trying to set up coach David Fizdale for a fall. Sure enough, later on Monday, ESPN’s Malika Andrews and Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Knicks front office is trying to push Fizdale to resign.
Ricky O’Donnell explains the James Wiseman eligibility situation. Wiseman is expected to be a high draft pick.
The Raptors remain an East contender even without Kawhi Leonard, writes Matt Ellentuck.
Michael Sykes on how people are more interested in retro shoes heavy on leather than high-performance basketball shoes, no matter whose name is on them.
Interesting comments from LeBron James — who is both a product of the AAU system and has a son in it right now — on the AAU system’s impact on long-term player health.
Big win for the Celtics over the Mavericks without Gordon Hayward. Arguably, the Mavericks were without Kristaps Porzingis, who played 20 minutes (1-of-11 from the floor!).
Blake Griffin is back! But Andrew Wiggins detonated on the Pistons. Wiggins is averaging 25 points per game on better than league average efficiency.
Barry Petchesky on the impossibility of sticking to sports.
Be excellent to each other.
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