NBA: Underperformers and overachievers for Week 16

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Overachiever: James Harden, Houston Rockets

Shooting guard James Harden is putting together quite the season for the Houston Rockets. Harden finished with a career-high 60 points, 11 assists, 10 rebounds and four steals in the Rockets’ 114-107 victory over the Orlando Magic on Tuesday night.

With Chris Paul nursing a sore right groin, Harden took on the extra load, finishing with the NBA’s first ever 60-point triple-double.

Harden also set a franchise single-game record for points scored, breaking Calvin Murphy‘s record of 57 points. Thirty-six of Harden’s points came in the second half, with 18 coming in the fourth quarter. He went 11-of-16 from the field and 5-for-8 from 3-point range. He also had five rebounds, four assists, two steals and a block in the second half.

Harden is making a hard case for the MVP Award this season with his play. It was his third triple-double of the season and fourth time scoring at least 50 points this season.

He’s currently averaging a career-high 31.6 points, 9.1 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game in 2017-18. He leads the NBA in points per game and ranks third in the league in assists per game. If he continues his spectacular play, the MVP will be his for the taking.