7. The 57-point explosion vs. Memphis
Just hours after mustering up 38 points on 1-of-17 shooting from downtown in a seven-point loss against the Orlando Magic, Harden returned the following evening to put together one of his marquee shooting displays against one of the league’s best defenses.
In a Jan. 14 showdown against the Memphis Grizzlies, Harden erupted for a game-high 57 points on 17-for-33 shooting from the field to propel the Rockets to a 112-94 win at home.
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"“He comes off a game where he was 1-for-17 and everybody’s saying whatever and it just doesn’t even faze him,” Rockets guard Austin Rivers told the Associated Press. “He just comes in like he was 17 for 17.” “That’s just the mindset that the great ones have….if another player went 1-for-17 they would have come in tonight a little…messed up. James comes in and that’s just why he is who he is and it’s impressive.”"
Although the outing marked his third 50-point game of the season, The Beard showcased the ability to successfully shake off any rust from the previous night, shooting 6-for-15 from 3-point range. Harden utilized several of his patented moves throughout the night on the way towards cementing his name among exclusive company.