Harden joins Jordan for third most 60 point games in NBA history
LOS ANGELES: James Harden tied Michael Jordan for the third most 60-point performances in NBA history Saturday as the Houston Rockets blasted the last-place Atlanta Hawks 158-111.
Harden finished with 60 points to reach the mark for the fourth time in his career and tie Jordan. Only two players, Kobe Bryant, with six, and Wilt Chamberlain (32) have more.
“That’s greatness right there. Those guys are something that I’m trying to get to,” said Harden, who finished one point shy of his career high of 61.
“Hopefully when I am done, I can be mentioned in that group forever.”
Harden made 16 of 24 fieldgoal attempts, including eight of 14 from three-point range, and connected on 20 of 23 freethrow attempts. He played just 31 minutes and also had eight assists.
He is the fourth player to score 50 or more points on 20 occasions, trailing Chamberlain (118), Jordan (31) and Bryant (25).
“We came locked in and we didn’t get a great start but we rode it out,” he said.
Elsewhere, Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 26 points as the Milwaukee Bucks breezed to their 11th consecutive victory with a 137-96 rout of the Charlotte Hornets.
Despite his superb performance, Antetokounmpo’s double-double streak to begin the season was halted at 19 games.
The reigning NBA most valuable player finished just shy of the double-double with nine rebounds and shot 11 of 19 from the field.
His was the longest such streak since Bill Walton recorded 34 straight in 1976-77.
The Eastern Conferenceleading Bucks closed November 15-1 for the month.
The Hornets cut the deficit to three points early in the second quarter but that was as close as they would get.
In Philadelphia, Joel Embiid had 32 points, 11 rebounds and nailed all 15 of his free throws as the Philadelphia 76ers edged the Indiana Pacers 119-116.
It was Embiid’s 12th doubledouble as the Sixers won their third in a row.
Tobias Harris scored 22 points, Al Horford added 15 and Ben Simmons had 15 points and 13 assists.
T.J. Warren led the Pacers with 29 points while Malcolm Brogdon added 28.