Before the game, James Harden had scored at least 20 points in each of his first 35 games of the season, but given his long absence from action, he wasn’t able to continue that streak. Nonetheless, Harden made notable contributions on defense in this game. The battle in the paint became a focal point for both teams, with the Houston Rockets capitalizing on the Minnesota Timberwolves’ struggle with outside shooting, focusing their defense in the key.
Harden stepped up defensively, often switching to guard Karl-Anthony Towns and Taj Gibson. He also registered two steals and two blocks, marking only the third game this season where he had such a defensive stat line, the other two coming on November 28 against the Brooklyn Nets and in a double-overtime thriller against the Los Angeles Lakers. While his offensive rhythm may have been off, his contributions on both defense and playmaking remained strong. With Harden back in the lineup, the Rockets were undoubtedly boosted.
Harden’s chemistry with the big men was also evident. He often found Clint Capela for easy dunks. In the first half, he delivered two beautiful assists to Capela—one was a high-post pass as Capela rolled toward the basket, where he spun and scored. Another was an alley-oop during a fast break. Additionally, Nene benefited from Harden’s creativity. With 7:12 left in the second quarter, Harden dribbled and then bounced the ball to Nene, who finished with a layup.
Despite struggling with his shooting after missing seven games, Harden’s signature pocket pass was still a lethal weapon for the Timberwolves to defend. He missed all four of his first-quarter attempts, including a wide miss on a three-pointer, before finally getting on the board in the second quarter with a clever steal from Nemanja Bjelica. Harden then used a fake to outmaneuver Towns and scored on a layup. His first three-pointer came in the third quarter, marking his only successful attempt from beyond the arc.
That three-pointer also marked a milestone for Harden, as it brought his career total to 1,528 three-pointers, tying him with Nick Van Exel for 25th on the NBA’s all-time list. He now trails Tim Hardaway in 24th place by 16 shots.
Returning after a seven-game absence, Harden played 26 minutes in total, shooting just 3-for-15 from the field and 1-for-5 from three-point range. However, he also dished out 7 assists and had 2 steals and 2 blocks in the Rockets’ dominant 116-98 victory. During Harden’s absence, the Rockets went 4-3.
The good news didn’t stop there for Harden—before the game, he was also named a starter for the NBA All-Star Game. Coach Mike D’Antoni mentioned that Harden would have a minutes restriction, with the expectation that he wouldn’t exceed 25 minutes on the floor. Fans joked that despite the poor shooting performance, Harden had accumulated enough throughout the season to make his mark, proving his worth as a player with an impressive legacy.