Even in preseason games, volume scoring is in James Harden’s wheelhouse.
The 2018 NBA MVP showcased the full repertoire he’s come to be known for — step-back 3s, Euro-step layups, free throws aplenty — in leading the Houston Rockets to a 109-96 exhibition victory over the Los Angeles Clippers in front of a near-capacity Stan Sheriff Center crowd on Thursday night.
Harden scored 37 points in 28 minutes spanning the first three quarters before giving way to his backups. He shot 8-for-22 from the field and 17-for-20 from the foul line. He added seven rebounds and seven assists.
“Every single day we want to get better, whether it’s a preseason game or a practice. Just continue to improve,” said Harden, who led the league with a career-high 36.1 points per game last season.
The split-loyalty local crowd included Floyd “Money” Mayweather courtside. That’s close to where Harden lofted his new move, a one-legged 3-pointer, in the corner pocket in the third quarter. The crowd oohed as he flicked it up; it rimmed out, but he was fouled on the play, like so many others.
He drew occasional “MVP” chants from the fans as he single-handedly tried to make up for the absence of the three other superstars billed for the matchup — his new Rockets teammate Russell Westbrook and the Clippers duo of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. Those three are being eased into the regular season and watched from their new teams’ benches.
“It was great. These fans came and showed up and showed out,” Harden said of the atmosphere. “We gave them an opportunity to see NBA basketball. Obviously a couple superstars didn’t play or whatnot, but still I gave them an opportunity to see in person how fun and exciting the game can be.”
Harden unleashed a series of his between-the-legs dribbles, step-backs and blow-bys to the rim.
He did the dance on Rodney McGruder in the second quarter and stepped back into a 3, plus the foul, as the MVP chants rang out with the four-point play.
He then stole the ball from Amir Coffey in the open court, danced some more, sank a step-back trey and drew another foul. He wound up for a left-handed tomahawk stuff in the third quarter but caught back iron. He redeemed himself with a step-back trey.
His night was made complete by a Euro-step layup, plus the foul, at the end of the third quarter for an 89-65 lead.
“A couple of times we could’ve trapped (Harden), and I was like, no, just guard him,” Clippers coach Doc Rivers said. “He’s going to be James Harden at times and that’s fine.”
The Clippers, who were led by forward Montrezl Harrell’s 17 points off the bench, had just started to practice in the previous two days, whereas the Rockets had already gotten in a lopsided exhibition win over the Shanghai Sharks in Houston on Monday.
George and Westbrook were Oklahoma City Thunder teammates last year before George requested a trade in the offseason and Westbrook was subsequently dealt. They shared a conversation at midcourt between the first and second quarters, hugged and shook hands.
The Rockets, who were eliminated in the Western Conference semifinals in the spring, trotted four of their regular starters onto the court.
Harden sank a 30-footer from straightaway for a 21-11 lead. By the end of the first, he’d played nine minutes and scored 12 points. He was 10-for-10 from the line in the first half as the Rockets led 57-40 at intermission.
“We saw some good things,” Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni said. “Obviously it’s (the Clippers’) first game and they just started practice, so take it for what it’s worth. But I thought we did our job and did a pretty good job.”
There were no fan entry issues like those that plagued the Clippers’ first game here against the Toronto Raptors in 2017.
Sunday’s 1 p.m. contest against the Shanghai Sharks of the Chinese Basketball Association was not close to being sold out as of Thursday evening.
The Rockets were scheduled to fly out after the game for Japan, where they will play the Toronto Raptors twice.
