Tuesday 18 December 2018 07:17, UK
James Harden was at his mesmeric best as he scored 47 points to lead the Houston Rockets to victory over the Utah Jazz.
Harden's haul came on 14-of-31 shooting, including 4-of-12 from beyond the three-point arc, as the Rockets battled their way to a win that took them back above .500 (15-14) for the season.
Harden started the game in creative fashion, throwing an overarm over-the-shoulder pass to find team-mate PJ Tucker for a corner three. He found his scoring touch early too with a trademark drive into the lane for an easy dunk and an 'And 1' lay-up.
In the third quarter, Chris Paul split the Utah defense with bounce pass enabling Harden to convert another easy dunk.
Harden then demonstrated slick handles as he mesmerised Jazz defender Jae Crowder on the perimeter before blowing by him to the basket for a lay-up, drawing a foul in the process. He followed that up with another strong drive into the paint to throw down a right-handed tomahawk dunk.
With 13.3 seconds left in the game and the Rockets holding on to a two-point lead, Harden found his range from long distance, facing up Jazz guard Ricky Rubio before connecting on a step-back three-pointer to seal a 102-97 win for Houston.
Click the video at the top of the page to watch highlights of Harden's 47-point haul
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