Harden drops 58 points to guide Rockets by Heat

James Harden tenderizes his defender with a nice crossover combination and finishes at the rack with an easy layup. (0:19)

Rockets guard James Harden scored 58 points in Houston’s win over the Miami Heat on Thursday night for his sixth 50-point game of the season.

No other player in the NBA has more than one this season.

Harden also had 10 assists, 8 3-pointers, 7 rebounds and 4 steals. He was 18-for-18 from the free throw line.

It was Harden’s seventh career game with 50 points and 10 assists, more than twice as many as any other player in NBA history.

It was his 14th career 50-point game, putting him fifth on the all-time list behind Wilt Chamberlain (118), Michael Jordan (31), Kobe Bryant (25) and Elgin Baylor (17).

It was Harden’s 23rd 40-point game of the season. He passed Michael Jordan (1989-90) for the third most such games in a season over the last 50 seasons. Only MJ in 1986-87 (37) and Kobe Bryant in 2005-06 (27) have had more.

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