James Harden’s streak of 35-point games will end at 10, but it was another MVP-caliber performance from the Beard. He lead Houston past the Western Conference leading Denver Nuggets in the first game of the post-MCW era.
The Nuggets early defensive plan was clear: stop the MVP. The Nuggets double-teamed Harden every trip down the floor, daring someone else to beat them. Harden found plenty of success passing out of Denver’s double-teams, and the guys he passed to didn’t disappoint.
Harden dished out 14 assists, and no one benefited more than PJ Tucker. Tucker started the night in the midst of a massive shooting slump, having made only 18.