James Harden scores 42 points as Houston Rockets defeat Boston Celtics
Monday 4 March 2019 08:06, UK
James Harden added another spectacular performance to his historic season with a decisive 42-point showing in the Houston Rockets victory over the Boston Celtics on Sunday night.
The reigning MVP strengthened his campaign to retain the award with a performance that left both Boston's players and fans stunned.
Harden, who is averaging a league-high 36.7 points per game this season, helped the Rockets jump out to a 22-point half-time lead with a strong all-round first performance.
The All-Star guard displayed the full package of steals, assists and impressive finishes at the rim, before finding his rhythm from long-range after the interval.
Harden crowned his performance with one of the plays of the season so far, draining a three-pointer over Kyrie Irving and Jayson Tatum to end the Celtics' hopes of a comeback, as the Rockets sealed a 115-104 victory.
The victory was a fifth in the row for the Rockets, who with Chris Paul and Clint Capela back in the line-up, are starting to look like a major playoff threat in the Western Conference.
Click the video at the top of the page to watch highlights of Harden's stunning 42-point display
