Rockets’ James Harden sets Heat opponent scoring record with 58 points in comeback win

It’s hard to find a player who has been more dangerous throughout the 2018-19 season than Houston Rockets guard James Harden.

After seeing his streak of scoring 30 or more points snapped after 32 games earlier this week, Harden came out firing on all cylinders against the Miami Heat on Thursday. When the final horn sounded, Harden finished with 58 points in a narrow 121-118 Rockets win.

Harden connected on 16 of his 32 field goal attempts while also knocking down eight 3-pointers throughout the night. As if his scoring numbers weren’t enough, Harden also dished out 10 assists while securing seven rebounds and recording four steals.

Harden’s 58-point performance marked the most points ever scored by a single player against the Heat. Willie Burton (of all people) previously held the record for points against the Heat when he scored 53 against Miami in 1994. This stellar showing comes after the Rockets’ All-Star guard torched the New York Knicks for a career-high 61 points back on Jan. 23.

In Monday’s 119-111 win over the Atlanta Hawks, Harden came up two points short of extending his 30-plus-point scoring streak as he ended with 28 points on 7-of-21 shooting. Harden followed that down performance with a 30-point showing against the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday.

Harden certainly continues to put himself at the forefront of the MVP conversation with a spectacular campaign. The Houston star has put together averages of 36.2 points, 7.6 assists, and 6.6 rebounds while also drilling 36.3 percent of his shots from 3.