James Harden Scored 59 Points In A Crazy 159-158 Win Over The Wizards

The Wizards and Rockets meeting in the nation’s capital was far from the marquee game of the night in the world of sports. With Game 7 of the World Series happening between Washington and Houston teams, their respective fan bases were likely focused on the baseball game.

However, the two teams produced one of the most ridiculous games in NBA history, as the Rockets edged out a 159-158 win thanks to 59 points from James Harden on the night. The 317 combined points is the third most in a regulation game in NBA history, trailing only a 320-point Warriors-Nuggets game from 1990 and a 318-point Nuggets-Spurs game in 1984.

It was a high-scoring affair from the jump, as Houston took a 35-34 lead after one quarter, and that was the lowest-scoring quarter for both teams. The two sides combined to make 43-of-90 three-point attempts, and the Wizards’ shooting percentage split was a preposterous 62.6/55.6/82.8…in a loss. The Rockets hit three more threes and two more free throws, which turned out to be just enough of a difference in a ridiculous offensive evening for both sides. The final minute of play was absurd and the perfect encapsulation of a back-and-forth game where neither team could seemingly get a stop when they needed it.

Harden’s 59 was the kind of performance he’s made incredibly common in recent years, as he was 18-for-32 from the field and 17-of-18 from the foul line — the only miss his last attempt after giving Houston a one-point lead with seconds to play.

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Russell Westbrook was relatively quiet with 17 points and 12 assists, 11 of which came in the first half, but he was big early and had a huge three-point play late to give Houston the lead.

Opposite Harden, Bradley Beal put forth a spectacular performance in the loss, scoring 46 points on 14-of-20 shooting, dishing out eight assists, and pulling down six rebounds.

In the end, the Rockets escaped with the win, but both teams have to feel good about their offensive effort (and maybe be a touch worried about the defense, although it really was an impressive display of shot-making from both sides).