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James Harden Nearing Rare Assist Total

By Brendan Galella

Mar 28, 2017; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Rockets guard James Harden (13) reacts while playing against the Golden State Warriors in the second half at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Golden State Warriors won 113-106. Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 28, 2017; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Rockets guard James Harden (13) reacts while playing against the Golden State Warriors in the second half at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Golden State Warriors won 113-106. Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports /
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Only a few of the leagues top playmakers have compiled 900 assists in a single season, but the club may have a new member if James Harden can continue his impressive playmaking over the final five games of the year.

In his first season at the point guard position, James Harden is piling up assists at a quantity only reached by nine other players in league history.

If the Houston Rockets‘ guard manages to dish out 49 assists over the final five games of the season, he will join Guy Rodgers, Tiny Archibald, Kevin Porter, Isiah Thomas, Norm Nixon, Magic Johnson, John Stockton, Mark Jackson and Chris Paul as the only players to reach 900 in a year.

To accomplish the feat, Harden needs to post 9.8 assists per game over his final five games of the season.

The transition to Houston’s facilitator was a smooth one for Harden, as he capitalized on the additional chances by dishing out at least seven assists in each of his first 65 games.

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Harden is on the verge of clinching his first career assist crown, as he leads the league with an average of 11.2 assists per game and has totaled 10 or more in 56 of his 76 appearances this season.

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    • With 851 assists this season, not only has Harden dished out 49 more than any one else in the league this season, he is just the 16th player ever to reach the 850 mark in a season.

    The impact Harden is making on the Rockets offense is unprecedented in league history.

    Following a 24-point, 13-assist, 11-rebound effort, his 20th triple-double of the year, Harden became the first player ever to score and assist on 2,000 points in the same season.

    His passing has been able to generate so many points because of the effectiveness he has driving to the rim.

    If opponents don’t contest his shot, Harden has mastered getting to the free throw line, as he leads the NBA in both free throws made and attempted for the third consecutive season and is converting 68.7 percent of his attempts at the rim.

    When the defense collapses in on Harden at the basket, he has been able to find open teammates on the perimeter at a staggering rate.

    On average, Harden is assisting on 4.7 made 3-point field goals per game, a large reason why Houston set the single-season record for conversions from beyond the arc this season.

    Harden also ranks third in the league by connecting 240 times from 3-point range.

    By moving to point guard, Harden has been able to display his complete array of skills.

    Houston Rockets
    Houston Rockets /

    Houston Rockets

    The 6-foot-5 guard is the first player since the 1984-85 campaign to register three performances with at least 35 points and 15 assists.

    Harden has totaled 15 or more assists 10 times this season, a feat he accomplished just once during the first 524 games of his career, while increasing his assist total by 3.7 per game from a year ago.

    The lofty assist total has allowed him to compile 20 triple-doubles, tying him with Oscar Robertson for the eighth-highest season total in league history. During those 20 triple-double performances, Harden is averaging 32.3 points, 12.2 assists and 12.1 rebounds.

    Amazingly, Harden has posted seven triple-doubles this season while scoring 40 or more points, matching the career total of Wilt Chamberlain, the owner of the second-most such triple-doubles entering the 2016-17 season.

    While Harden has accepted the challenge of facilitating the Rockets’ potent offense, as the team ranks second in both points per game and offensive efficiency, it hasn’t diminished his ability as a scorer.

    Even after scoring the most total points for the second year in a row last season, with 2,376, Harden has found a way to increase his scoring average for the eighth consecutive season.

    The five-time All-Star is averaging 29.2 points per game and has scored more than 2,000 points for the third consecutive year.

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    High efficiency scoring has defined Harden throughout his eight-year career, and this season he has become even more effective.

    Even though he ranks second in scoring average, Harden has attempted just the eighth-most shots per game at 19 a night.

    Harden is set to join Isaiah Thomas, Adrian Dantley, Karl Malone and Shaquille O’Neal as the only players ever to score 29 or more points per game while taking fewer than 20 shots per game.

    The move to point guard has enabled to remain an efficient scorer, while racking up assists at a rate rarely seen in league history.

    If he manages to dish out 49 more assists, he will join Archibald as the only player to eclipse 2,000 points and 900 assists in the same season.

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    Perhaps next season Harden could become the first player since Archibald to simultaneously lead the league in scoring and assists.