NFL
By: Christopher Jordan
James Harden had a triple-double with 29 points, 10 rebounds, 14 assists in this first meeting with his former team, the Houston Rockets. The Brooklyn Nets won 132-114 on Wednesday night to hand the Rockets their 13th straight loss.
The Nets have been on a roll the past few weeks. It seems like everything is coming together for Brooklyn. The Nets won their seventh straight game on the road and won 10 of their last 11 games.
The Rockets were shorthanded. They had only eight available players because of injuries. Since Harden was traded on January 14th, they have not had the most success as a team. They haven’t won a game since February 4th.
The Rockets used a 10-0 run, with five points from John Wall, to cut the lead to eight with about 8 minutes left in the fourth quarter. The Nets scored the next eight points, with two clutch threes from Harden, to extend the lead to 113-97 midway through the quarter.
It’s the eighth triple-double for Harden this season and his second straight triple-double after scoring 30 points, 14 rebounds, 15 assists, and zero turnovers.
Harden was booed when his name was introduced before the game and several times when he touched the ball, although he played eight seasons with the Rockets. Some fans were still salty about how Harden left the team.
Despite the crowd booing Harden, they still played a video showcasing some of the great highlights and memories in his eight seasons as a Rocket.
Houston said that Harden’s jersey would be held in the rafters one day.
Although the Rockets lost tonight, they still got a great performance from John Wall and Victor Oladipo. Wall scored 36 points, and Oladipo scored 33 points.
Harden was the top performer in tonight’s game. Despite his great performance against his old team. Kyrie Irving and Joe Harris still played their part for the Brooklyn Nets. Irving chipped in 24 points, and Harris also added 19 points.
In Kevin Durant’s absence due to his hamstring injury. The team has rallied, and they’re one of the hottest teams in the NBA right now.
Eric Gordon missed his second straight game due to a left sore knee. David Nwaba was also out for tonight’s game and will be out for three weeks after a right wrist surgery on Wednesday. Danuel House sat out with a bruised knee.
The Nets won’t play their next game until after the All-Star break. They will host the Boston Celtics on March 11th.
The Rockets will begin the second half of their season on March 11. They play in Sacramento against the Kings.
