James Harden #13 of the Houston Rockets celebrates after a three point shot in overtime during Game Three of the Second Round of the 2019 NBA Western Conference Playoffs against the Golden State Warriors at Toyota Center on May 4, 2019 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
Tim Warner/Getty ImagesThe greatest Houston Rockets player of this century will return to the Toyota Center on Monday night.
Houston will host James Harden and the Philadelphia 76ers in the reunion matchup, marking Harden's fourth game against the Rockets since a trade to Brooklyn in January 2021. Harden's Houston tenure certainly ended in ugly fashion, though despite a tough breakup, it's still worth appreciating Harden's dominance in a Houston uniform. Few players in league history have ever been as dominant offensively as Harden during his time with the Rockets. It's a question if a Houston player will ever reach those heights again.
As Harden returns to Houston on Monday, it's time to recall his best moments as a member of the Rockets. This list could have continued ad nauseam—and the exclusion of Harden's famous three-and-point in Los Angeles in November 2019 certainly hurts—but for now, we'll cap the nominees at an even 10.
So without further ado, let's crack open the vault and remember a not-so-distant time when Houston sat near the top of the NBA.
Dazzling debut after trade – October 2012
It didn't take long for Houston to realize it had a franchise anchor in Oklahoma City's former sixth man. Harden dazzled in his debut with the Rockets in October 2012, dropping a casual 37 points and 12 rebounds in a win over the Pistons on Halloween night. His second outing as a Rocket didn't disappoint, either. He shredded the Hawks to the tune of 45 points on 14-of-19 shooting, marking the first of 98 (!) 40-point efforts as a member of the Rockets. Daryl Morey pounced on the chance to acquire Harden after the guard's struggles in the 2012 Finals. Morey's move quickly paid off.
Revenge game against Oklahoma City – February 2013
The Thunder got the best of Harden in two ugly outings in the 2012 portion of Harden's first season with the Rockets. The Beard exacted his revenge two months into 2013. He poured in 46 points and seven threes in a 122-119 victory, besting his former team despite a triple-double from Kevin Durant and a 27-point, 10-rebound effort from Russell Westbrook. Harden's career would continue to intertwine with his two former teammates across the following decade.
James Harden #13 of the Houston Rockets watches a replay on the court during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Toyota Center on February 20, 2013 in Houston.
Scott Halleran/Getty ImagesFirst career triple-double – February 2013
Harden may not be the maestro of the triple-double quite like his former teammate in Westbrook, but he stills sits at eighth on the all-time leaderboard entering Monday night. Harden secured the first of his 69 triple-doubles in a home win over the Hornets, flashing the vision that would help make him among the greatest offensive players in the game's history. Harden was a dynamic scorer in Oklahoma City, one who paired a prodigious step-back with a knack to getting to the foul line. His first triple-double in February 2013 was a sign of his burgeoning playmaking chops.
Playoff career high vs. Warriors – May 2015
Houston's leading man effectively buried the Mavericks in a 42-point effort in Game 3 of the first round of the 2015 playoffs. He would eclipse that mark two rounds later against the Warriors. Harden tallied a playoff career-high 45 points in a win over the future defending champions, avoiding a sweep in front of the Toyota Center crowd. Harden's playoff resume in Houston is, to be charitable, spotty. But we shouldn't dismiss the great nights of his postseason career, especially against the machine that is Golden State.
New Year's Eve display for the ages – December 2016
A peek at the box score from Harden's 53-point triple-double on New Year's Eve in 2016 is a delightful time capsule for Rockets fans, and moreover, it's an illustration of just how dominant Harden was at his peak. The 2016-17 team featured Harden and a collection of rather middling role players, flanked by the likes of Trevor Ariza, Corey Brewer and Montrezl Harrell. The supporting cast didn't matter as Harden rang in the New Year with a bang. He posted a 53-point, triple double, canning nine threes as he added 16 rebounds and a career-best 17 assists. Harden nearly stole the MVP award from Stephen Curry one season prior. His NYE performance in 2016 further entrenched him as historic offensive force.
Historic night amid MVP campaign – January 2018
Perhaps Harden was bored by the 50-point triple-doubles midway through his MVP campaign in 2017-18. Harden unleashed a 60-point triple double in a win over Orlando in January 2018, creating a singular historical club in one of the most brilliant performances in NBA history. It's hard to find an offensive mark not reached by Wilt Chamberlain during the legendary center's heyday. But not even the The Big Dipper could match Harden's magical night during his greatest season as a Rocket.
Harden drops Wesley Johnson – February 2018
No single highlight better encapsulates the greatness of Harden's Houston tenure quite like his slick move to drop Wesley Johnson in Los Angeles in February 2018. The crossover, the shimmy, the three and the smirk. All of Harden in one clip, with Houston's bench beside itself in amazement. Perhaps Houston fans can watch this on repeat as a difficult 2022-23 season continues.
Hot starts to playoff series – April 2018
We'll break our own (arbitrary) rules here and include a pair of Harden moments from the 2018 postseason. Harden put his 2017 playoff disaster against San Antonio in the rearview mirror to kick off the 2018 postseason, scoring 44 points in a narrow win over the Timberwolves in Game 1 of the first round. Houston defeated Minnesota in five games, and Harden replicated his dominance in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals. Harden diced the Jazz en route to 41 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, showing little respect for Utah center Rudy Gobert as he manned the paint.
Overtime three for the ages – January 2019
This is likely the highlight of Harden's time with the Rockets. He capped his fifth consecutive 40-point game with a game-winning three to beat the Warriors on the road, continuing a stretch in which he averaged 40.1 points, 6.6 rebounds and 9.0 assists as Houston went 11–1 across 12 games. Just how good was Harden in this stretch? We'll let Morey take it from here:
"You could argue for him as the best offensive player of all time," Morey told ESPN postgame. "To be able to say that with a straight face, and not have it be GM speak or coachspeak, is pretty amazing.
"He's at a level that almost nobody in NBA history has been at."
The block (bubble edition) – September 2020
Harden never felt quite settled in his lone Houston season alongside Russell Westbrook in 2019-20, and both players exited the franchise in dramatic fashion in subsequent months as the Rockets hit the reset button. But there was one last moment to remember in the NBA bubble during the 2020 playoffs. Harden turned in perhaps the best defensive play of his career in Game 7 of the first round against Oklahoma City, blocking a Luguentz Dort three at the buzzer. A gentleman's sweep against the Lakers would follow, marking Houston's last playoff run with their former franchise anchor.