HOUSTON – Under new head coach, Rockets guard James Harden has enjoyed the best statistical start to any of his eight NBA seasons.
On Monday, he was rewarded when he was named Western Conference Player of the Week.
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It is the 10th time in his career that Harden has received Player of the Week honors, all coming with Houston.
Hakeem Olajuwon (12 times) is the only Rocket with more Player of the Week awards. Harden averaged 27.0 points, 14.3 assists, and 9.7 rebounds in three games last week and recorded a triple-double in consecutive games against San Antonio on Nov. 9 and Nov. 12.
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the last player to record a triple-double in back-to-back games against the same opponent was Wilt Chamberlain vs. Boston in January of 1968.
The only other Rocket to post a triple-double in consecutive games was Elvin Hayes, who did so the final two games of 1970-71. The four-time All-Star ranks fifth in the league in scoring (30.0 ppg) and first in assists (13.0 apg) while also averaging 8.0 rebounds.
Nate Archibald (1972-73) is the only player in NBA history to have led the league in both scoring and assists in the same season. No player has averaged at least 30.0 points, 13.0 assists, and 8.0 rebounds in a single season.
Harden has recorded at least 24 points, 7 assists, and 6 rebounds in each of the Rockets nine games this season. That is the longest streak by a player at any point of a season since a 10-game span by Michael Jordan from March 28 to April 14, 1989.
Harden has also recorded at least 24 points and 12 assists in each of the past six games.
According to Elias, that is the longest streak in NBA history. The Rockets host the Sixers at Toyota Center on Monday night.