Clippers point guard James Harden is having a great NBA season so far, delivering strong performances and averaging a double-double in his first five games. In the recent game against the Suns, he made NBA history by setting a record that hasn’t been seen since the 1996-97 season.
In the game against the Suns, James Harden had an amazing first quarter, racking up 12 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 blocks. This standout performance makes him the first player in NBA history to reach these stats in just one quarter since the league started keeping track.
NBA writer Tomer Azarly tweeted, “James Harden made history in the 1st quarter vs. the Suns: 12 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 blocks. First player since tracking began in 1996-97 to record those numbers in a quarter.”
Despite the Clippers’ loss, Harden’s skill shone through with 25 points, 13 assists, and 10 rebounds. This performance also pushed him past 26,000 career points, making him the 20th player in NBA history to reach this milestone.
James Harden criticizes Clippers’ defense following loss to the Suns
After the Clippers’ 116-113 overtime loss to the Suns on November 1, James Harden openly criticized their defense. Despite leading by 21 points, the Clippers couldn’t hold back the Suns in the second half and overtime.
Harden explained, “We came off that third quarter defensively, they didn’t feel us defensively our presence and they were just comfortable.” The Clippers will look to regroup and improve their defense as they continue their season, with Harden leading the charge on both ends of the court.
