This Date in NBA History (Nov. 28, IST): James Harden's 50 points saves Rockets against winless 76ers

Yash Matange

This Date in NBA History (Nov. 28, IST): James Harden's 50 points saves Rockets against winless 76ers image

On Nov. 28 in 2015, James Harden erupted for a season-high 50 points – the only game he scored 50 or more in the 2015-16 season. 

The 50-piece was crucial and saved face for the Rockets, helping them escape this home encounter with a 116-114 win against a Philadelphia 76ers squad that was coming into this game with an 0-16 start to the season. 

Along with scoring 50 for the third time in his career, Harden nearly recorded a triple-double in this game. He had nine rebounds and eight assists on 14-of-28 shooting from the field and 6-of-12 from beyond the arc. 

Despite Harden's heroics the game was never in the bag for Houston. After trailing the Rockets by 11 at the beginning of the final quarter, the 76ers opened the fourth quarter with a 24-8 run and Robert Covington, Philadelphia's best performer in the game, was responsible for 11 points in that run.

Playing 38 minutes, Covington stuffed the stat sheet. He finished with team-high tallies of 28 points, eight steals and seven rebounds while also dishing out five assists. 

Other notable events in Nov. 28

  • In 1947, Philadelphia’s Howie Dallmar set an NBA record for the most field-goal attempts without a make. Against New York, he went 0-for-15 – a record not broken for 44 years until Tim Hardaway of the Golden State Warriors went 0-of-17 on December 27, 1991.
  • In 1976, Quinn Buckner of the Milwaukee Bucks set the NBA record for most steals in a half with eight. After his effort, this record was tied 12 times but never bettered. 
  • In 2002, the Denver Nuggets set the record for the fewest points in the first quarter. They scored just three points in a 99-68 loss to the San Antonio Spurs.

#MeloNuggets

  • In 2009, Carmelo Anthony erupts for a then-career-high 50 points in a 128-125 win over the New York Knicks. He also recorded six rebounds and five assists while shooting 17-of-28 from the field and a near-perfect 15-of-16 from the free-throw line. 

The views expressed here do not represent those of the NBA or its clubs.

Yash Matange

Yash Matange Photo