Houston Rockets stars and former league MVPs James Harden and Russell Westbrook each finished with their share of highlights and a win at Sunday’s 2020 NBA All-Star Game in Chicago.
The Houston guards competed together with Team LeBron, as drafted by Los Angeles Lakers star and top Western Conference vote-getter LeBron James. Team LeBron won the game, 157-155 (box score), with Harden recording 11 points and six assists in 17 minutes as a starter. Westbrook had six points and three rebounds in 27 minutes off the bench.
Game MVP Kawhi Leonard led Team LeBron with 30 points and seven rebounds, while reigning league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo paced Team Giannis with 25 points, 11 rebounds, and three blocks.
Harden hit what appeared to be the game-winning 3-pointer in the closing moments, but it was wiped away on a controversial offensive foul call drawn by Toronto’s Kyle Lowry. Ultimately, Anthony Davis clinched the victory for Harden and Westbrook’s team with a later free throw.
It was the ninth All-Star nod for Westbrook and the eighth for Harden, who hit a crucial 3-pointer and two free throws in the fourth quarter to help secure the win. Harden also contributed to several late defensive stops in the low post versus the likes of Toronto forward Pascal Siakam.
Harden was the only starter on Team LeBron with a positive point differential (+3) during his minutes, and he was part of the closing lineup with James, Leonard, Davis, and former Rockets point guard Chris Paul.
Harden leads the NBA with a 35.3 points per game scoring average this season, along with 7.3 assists. Meanwhile, Westbrook is averaging 27.2 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 7.2 assists. They’re the league’s top-scoring duo, and are currently on pace to become the first pair of teammates in NBA history to each average at least 25 points and seven assists.
As for 2019-20 regular season games, the Rockets (34-20) return to action on Thursday night at Golden State (12-42). That game tips off at 9:30 p.m. Central, with an exclusive national broadcast on TNT.
Houston entered the All-Star break having won five of its last seven games, and it could have been six if not for the stunning buzzer-beater last Sunday from Utah’s Bojan Bogdanovic.
