James Harden Drops a CAREER-HIGH 61 Points In New York | January 23, 2019

James Harden finished with a career-high 61 points (17-38 FG) and 15 rebounds as the Rockets defeated the Knicks 114-110 tonight at Madison Square Garden. Harden tied Kobe Bryant (61 points on 2/2/2009) for the 2nd-highest scoring total at the current iteration of MSG and the 5th-highest point total by an opposing player at any iteration of MSG.
Which players owned the night? Catch up on all the top individual performances around the league in the Top Performers series.
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[@SpadeSlice]

This man is a real life game of 2k

[@SpadeSlice]

He traveled on a couple of those

[@SpadeSlice]

Yeah I see it now that u mention it bruh

[@churbo9597]

Sonny Deez lol why you havin a conversation with yoself? forgot to switch to that burner 🤔😂

[@SpadeSlice]

Chur Bo damn, yeah. No wonder I don’t have more likes

[@andreic8786]

Yeah, with the sliders set to 100 for fouls and traveling turned off

[@adamzi4984]

I can't believe 2019 was 5 years ago...I remember this like it was yesterday.

[@G34SZN]

Man it’s hard to believe 5 years ago he was averaging 36.1 ppg and now he’s the 3rd option on a team. At the time, it felt like he was averaging 35 ppg every season and dropping 40 every other game, it really did. Crazy how fast 5 years goes but it’s also crazy how slow 5 years goes at the same time

[@Vortex_Feedz]

@@G34SZNI think he injured his hamstring the year after this…took away his explosiveness🫤

[@LoveArt86]

@@Vortex_Feedzyup, it's true. He had been playing injured in Brooklyn.

[@Jpruntz210]

Nah fr time is fooking flying

[@gustavoaraujo6923]

It was my first NBA game when i traveled to New York. Couldn't have been better. What a show from Harden.

[@jacobhickman1005]

Before y'all start saying he took 38 shots...MJ took 37 in a 60+ point performance. Lebron took 33 in a 63 point performance. Kobe took 50 just to drop 60(his final game but still stands. Oh, and MJ took 23 free throws in said performance. Harden is on a scoring run like we have never seen...Respect Greatness!

[@TheWesleykid]

Oh and harden took 25 free throws in this performance

[@Heaveaway23]

61 points on 38 shots is still very good

[@jordanjerez5045]

Jacob Hickman who asked? No one so stfu

[@___________________.]

@@TheWesleykid go ahead and point me to where he shouldn't have shot free throws. Ill wait.

[@LaMarcGasoldridge]

Jacob Hickman we have seen scoring like this before actually. *COUGH* 2006 Kobe *COUGH*

[@AirwaveMusicTV]

MVP Award would be well deserved this year.

[@ninetyrraven9529]

That's all he can achieve....he will never get a ring

[@FATHERBATMAN]

@@ninetyrraven9529 He's achieved more and made more money than you would see in 10 lifetimes

[@neverless.1]

@@ninetyrraven9529 you can say that all you want but iverson was an all time great and won nothing so was john stockton your just a straight hater

[@ninetyrraven9529]

@@neverless.1 none of them have rings....you proved my point.

[@FATHERBATMAN]

@@ninetyrraven9529 your ignorance pisses me off, I hope your mothers brakes dont work tomorrow

[@mrpelvis2737]

I'm pretty sure he will score 70+ pts in a game by the end of the season. (Unless Scottie Pippen teaches the below average teams how to guard him better.)

[@jxn23]

Pippen did make some good points. I don't understand why teams continue to play him on his right side leaving his left hand open for a drive? Are they more worried about the step back 3 right than the left hand drive?

[@emanuelespinoza9794]

Comment how bus better Steph curry or James Harden on E purple

[@dreynauc]

I understand that 61 points is a great achievement, but come on this is ridiculous, nobody wants to touch him even a little, because he gets calls for every. single. touch. smh

[@TexRock]

I don't think the Pippen thing will even matter. People "claim" the 76ers shut him down with Pippen's suggestions, but he scored 37 in about 3 quarters. Had the game not been out of hand and he actually played the 4th, he would have scored 40 plus. The dude is unstoppable right now.

[@neirad537]

Lol 37 in 3 quarters using Pipen defensive plan

[@SlowN52]

This what we need in the playoffs this year

[@zackjohnson4176]

And he was MIA when they needed him most 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@brunopires7284]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@Jbuckets_11ny]

@@zackjohnson4176 every superstar is Mia when it’s playoff time only one team can win I don’t see y’all talk about Paul’s George cp3 jimmy and other like y’all do to harden

[@ConorKhabibBrunson]

😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@ninjaking7256]

And look how ut turned out 😂

[@user-rj9sk9ju1l]

This is me in rookie mode in mycareer smh

[@alexiscabrera3970]

I dont get 61 even like that 😅

[@Jrl831]

Y’all trash then

[@unnwas]

> he only gets 60+ in rookie mode tf, 60+ is easy on any difficulty

[@BasketballSociety_]

He was really unstoppable at this time

[@carnage3208]

It was an honor to watch. That hamstring injury cut the prime short unfortunately. Hope he can still do work this season though

[@BasketballSociety_]

Yeah me too rough start in LA though@@carnage3208

[@Sterlingx11]

One of the best scoring stretches by any player ever

[@BasketballSociety_]

@@Sterlingx11 hands down

[@Vortex_Feedz]

@@Sterlingx11I think this year or the year before , he broke the record for most consecutive 30 point games… which was Kobe’s

[@AsapWave]

The fact that this man has multiple 40 plus point highlights is fucking insane Houston James was without a doubt a damn problem.. bruh what a time! 🔥🔥🔥

[@robkelly7745]

He puts a lot of time into his game, and that should never be overlooked.

[@ninetyrraven9529]

By faking like he's being hacked when he loses the ball driving through the lane.

[@ponue1284]

Oml...ain't nobody stopping this guy...straight up balling🔥🏀🏀

[@mixedupeamon]

Ok I give up.. he's MVP despite the multitude of free throws..

[@thunder3784]

And taking 30+ shots a game

[@tylerspillane9913]

Play at .25 speed his euro steps are 3 and even caught a 4step no call travel but he got layup AND 1. Great job nba having betting now smh.

[@vanchark]

@@thunder3784 your point being? Kobe averaged 27.4 shots and 10 FT a game during the 06-07 season. During his 4-game 50+ game streak, he averaged 35 shots and 15 FT a game. In the past 5 games, Harden has averaged 52.2 points a game on 32 shots and 17.8 FT a game. Funny how similar the numbers are but how different the reactions have been lol

[@geog8013]

Ty Spy that’s not a travel

[@mixedupeamon]

@@vanchark what's funny is I hated Kobe at the pinnacle of his career but learn to respect his gameplay... I don't like harden even more nor his game but I guess I can give him credit..

[@landen718]

This man has 2k sliders on 100 everything 💯🔥

[@aljericosantos5809]

LLanden Custard draw foul too

[@M.Westen]

Except defense..

[@MichaelKing015]

what? he is 5/20 in the 3 point line 100 on everything LOL

[@landen718]

@@MichaelKing015 ayyee u right

[@landen718]

@@M.Westen haha true

[@Joe-bn9fz]

one of the greatest to ever do it 🔥

[@legoatisthebestplayerevero2440]

Harden back to back MVP💯💯

[@prayedup1851]

Back it's a rap

[@___________________.]

@@Ravichang there are 40 seasons in league history where a player shot more ftas/g than Hardens career season high ftas/g. there are 271 seasons where a player shot more fta/g than Hardens career average.

[@Dtitilator]

More floppy than a disk.

[@jrluddin4925]

REAL MVP

[@___________________.]

@@Ravichang Reading comprehension, get it. I never said the nba has been around for 271 years. I said that 271 times, a player has shot more ftas than Hardens average. The truth is free, you should look into it.

[@josepinas730]

i miss this dude play like this..i hope he still can.

[@IHayzer]

He let himself go when he destroyed his trademark look

[@narutoxborutofanatic]

Hamstring injury hampered his speed

[@augustusbrown5320]

To busy hanging out with the rappers….

[@claclash]

Oh my God watch when he keeps this up and averages 40

[@arsenai4935]

cla clash next year my friend he’ll bring it to a whole another level like he did this year tbh I thought he was in his prime when he won mvp but this nigga was like fuck that and proceeds to dominate and average fucking my career numbers in this modern nba era

[@Asian2706]

@@arsenai4935 Keep dreaming

[@FREEROD]

@@Asian2706 37, he wasn’t far off

[@jianyechen1772]

This guy is a living beast. Scariest thing is i'm not even surprised at his 61 now. Respect.

[@legoatisthebestplayerevero2440]

Madison Harden💯😭😂

[@NoNameTheFirst]

Madison Square Harden

[@ps3gameronline883]

🤣🤣

[@danillamour]

Madison Square-beard Harden

[@polakirobaki3158]

Vintage James Harden is different

[@niceshady5617]

Damn he already vintage😂

[@j0epark1]

The Knicks put up a great fight tonight. But they're still the Knicks.

[@___________________.]

Fizdale with the clutch technical.

[@supermario560]

they're tanking.

[@AndreNdoye]

We played a great defensive game Kept the rockets to 25% from three Finished the game strong And saved the tank at the end A real knicks fan would be 100% happy with this outcome

[@Asian2706]

@@AndreNdoye You’re the only good that came out of the Knicks ever had, pathetic

[@Asian2706]

@@AndreNdoye But then again, y’all suck, even with all that effort wasted

[@sticktalk7830]

45% Shooting Too ... Played Defense .. 15 Rebounds not bad

[@Lilbuptown_1]

Here after luka dropped 60 points 20 rebounds and 10 assists

[@notreallyjermaine]

I miss this James Harden😔

[@SuperRip7]

What a very high score for Harden. 04-04-19.

[@MolloyDadda247Luke]

best 1 on 1 player ive ever seen

[@jey524]

Always loved Harden no matter what

[@gseric4721]

Man, once you let this man dribble with rythm past halfcourt, it's all over, it's just gotten to that point in James' career where in-game, that dribble move creep to the 3-point line is just about automatic when he gets hot from 3 point range.

[@sufma6505]

This harden was crazy

[@Blaze9054]

Honestly the most impressive thing about this game is his steals

[@imkurisuchan]

We must never forget that sometime in his career Rocket James Harden had been a different breed.

[@claclash]

yall cant tell me he's not helping his team offensively and helping out on defense.

[@claclash]

@Jaime Gonzalez What are you smoking on that was back in 2015 you idiot

[@lifesfailure939]

cla clash he literally is the only offence

[@claclash]

@@lifesfailure939 Do you want me to tell you that his team now has no clutch? His whole team this season sold him. Missing game winners when they dont pass it to Harden. Harden tries to win games and he gives up fast break points when people are ahead of him. He's a team player, he improved his defense despite that play vs Derozan in 2018 Spurs vs Rockets. What Im trying to say is that if Harden's hot, they give him the ball and he drops points to help win the game. Agree or Disagree who cares

[@lifesfailure939]

cla clash case in point he is the only offence, you just enforced my point, besides all harden does is stand around until he gets the ball and shoots for a 3

[@ninetyrraven9529]

Harden is fool's gold

[@normanrohde6105]

Harden The Machine

[@mayo42069]

James harden:*fails to break Melos record at the garden* Melo, u can break my career But u can’t break my record

[@203vred]

And he can break his heart

[@jamescarter2013]

What was Melo’s record ??

[@kvltizt]

@@jamescarter2013 63 I think

[@claclash]

He still got a career high. Melo got about 7 years to get a career high 62 pts. His team was New York. I guarantee u. Put Harden in NY instead of Melo. 70 like Booker. ez

[@claclash]

@bcmoore1995 you do realize Melo got traded to the Bulls, right?

[@Kurtboss74]

James Edward Harden we had some good years here in H-town brother…. We you the best and thanks for the memories 🤘🏽🚀

[@jasonkepa5303]

Who’s watching this in 2023

[@therealpvc2541]

F u

[@celebidy-8669]

2024

[@charzinc3492]

3:15 is this real life? James just stole the ball lol

[@davidandelau596]

That moment you realise that he was serious about winning the mvp again😱😱😱

[@JahleelX-xx9wd]

Only Bron could stop it but not anymore.

[@kobeingram]

Miss you Harden 🤘🏼😞

[@jayraizoo]

Top 4 SG ever

[@JerseySchmutzler]

Houston James harden was different he was going off scoring he had 40 points Games 60 led league in free throws two years straight

[@leonardoaraujo9001]

MVP, NO DOUBT ANYMORE... Just wait for the award.

[@tjhogue371]

This man will be different with a real big man

[@jonnydavis6066]

61 pts 15 rebs 4 asts 5 stls with NO HELP!!! MVP😀😀😀

[@page6413]

Getting ready for the free throw contest @AllStarWeekend...

[@andrewaceves9685]

Mvp and one of the best offensive players of all time🔥

[@ultraishere8128]

I didn't know today was opposite day

[@HowOddYoutube]

UltraIsHere He most definitely is one of the best offensive players of all time. Not that many players who have done what he’s done.

[@___________________.]

@@HowOddKZbin No players have done what hes done. Hes on pace to break the pts per 100 record from Wilt and break his own record for pts created in a season

[@domidomidomidomidomidomidomi]

yes yes with the refs

[@IkesLionsDen]

*during the regular season

[@bigtimeaze-azeramos9645]

I like how his 60th and 61th point was a game winner

[@TheCrower77]

Double Harden and leave anyone else wide open and they’ll miss anyways 😂😂😂😂

[@joestuehmer7967]

Ai got the same treatment damn near his entire career lmfaooo and he still killed everyone

[@janfloydbaluyan726]

TheCrower77 even if they double harden rockets are a team with many shooters so the results will still be the same

[@drexdagoon]

James Harden got crazy handles!

[@Will24903]

James Harden is differnt 💯

[@strollas]

this is why hes my favorite player

[@brucelau2023]

James Harden's gonna have a 70+ game by the end of the year, no doubt

[@WangazWarrior]

Only 3 years later and can barley score 20

[@Sirdutcharlesthe63rd]

Revisiting for the reminder of how great Harden was/is

[@ace2nice]

@Stretch Gang Nation gained too much weight

[@rudolfnagy2691]

They couldn’t Do a longer highlight video only 3 mins cause more than a third of his points was from the FT line

[@seabass62yearsago]

Shut up you are just triggered

[@kyross-c1p]

I watch this every night

[@LeBeautiful]

This streak is going to be more than going in the history books. Definitely gonna be some type of ESPN 30 for 30 on it, maybe a movie special...perhaps a written piece in how the beard dropped 61/15, 61 like he Kobe back in 2009...10 YEARS AGO! #MVB 🧔🏾🏀

[@ultraishere8128]

They're going to do the exact same thing to Harden as they're doing to Wilt. They're going to notice his flopping and unfair free throws because officiating will probably be done by robots in the future, stopping these unfair calls in harden's favor.

[@VielteX]

Am I the only one who thinks James Harden needs to watch his old videos so he can get an idea what to do in certain moments and also get more motivated? I am sure he's enough motivated and knows exactly what he's doing but still I think it will be a great benefit to watch some nice plays from previous games.

[@michael_2xx408]

Why my Knicks always let a star player score so many points on us it just sad man😞😳

[@jayfrmbrklyn4543]

That's fine, we'll have our Stars do the same in 2047 🙃

[@michael_2xx408]

@@jayfrmbrklyn4543 😂😂

[@HtownDrip]

It's kind of not fair for the Knicks cause players won't to play their best in the Garden anyways.

[@russellny8086]

michael thompson if porzingis is playing that’s an automatic 20-25 more points and the rockets don’t even sniff this win. Plus that pathetic bail out foul when harden got double teamed with 20 seconds left was pathetic.

[@gc033]

Making it look effortless

[@JoeyDubs1128]

When you turn rookie mode on 2K 💀🤣

[@jerryjamesfaunillan7057]

Just respect him..Hardwork pays off.

[@eb299]

*James harden falls*, *police come onto court and straight up arrests the defender*

[@marmak256]

Lmao 😂

[@thatkidandrew7818]

Refs eject defender..

[@mortiferomoreno6130]

u haters are a joke

[@chocolatedud4734]

he did this on the regular mind you

[@bestedm2062]

MVP😚

[@dorianoo1804]

He was soo quick sheesh

[@bilalameer9706]

Greatest of all time is this Beard...

[@Xzizia92]

When did you start watching basketball? 1 year ago? Already forgot Kobe? Lol

[@bilalameer9706]

@@Xzizia92 before you were born, son

[@bilalameer9706]

@@Xzizia92 now chill...

[@Xzizia92]

Bilal Ameer haha what a troll...

[@ninetyrraven9529]

No defense.

[@jaycee4513]

He started the game in literally the best possible way....///GOATlike

[@aespafanboi]

ginobili says hi

[@la17mad61]

I miss that james harden💔

[@37thousand]

This Knicks team was terrible I can’t believe they were keeping up

[@wendingo452]

People would still be hating on harden if he missed all of his free throws (Shaq and dwight attempted just as many if not more). Free throws are a part of what makes an elite scorer.

[@ninetyrraven9529]

He doesn't get fouled. He sells fouls.

[@OwneOle]

Oh, welcome to the Rockets Kenneth Faried. Have fun watching the action from the corner. If your lucky you get involved in the pick that gets set for Harden. EVERY possession.

[@tyreepowell5835]

James Harden is here to put on another show!

[@anandguruji83]

JAMES HARDEN SCORES 61 POINTS

[@anandguruji83]

JAMES HARDEN SCORES 61 POINTS

[@mrrocketsfan1240]

anandguruji83 JAMES HARDEN SCORES 61 POINTS

[@htxtexans]

@@mrrocketsfan1240 JAMES HARDEN SCORES 61 POINTS

[@trinityf-s-hs2918]

This man is something else!!!

[@shonl8460]

25 FTA. 5/20 3%. 17/38 FG%

[@RobertoRodriguez-ho7we]

Harden be missing late in games because by then his legs are dead tired and well hes a shooter that's what he does, sooner or later he knows it drop. He don't let it hurt his confidence the miss shots.

[@AndrewSmith-kq8uc]

Ok he shot 44% fg no bad at all so ok yeah he shot bad from three ok he is still on about 40% on the season

[@LtGucci]

LMAO 5 for 20 is 25

[@RobertoRodriguez-ho7we]

@@LtGucci you can laugh all you want about 5-20 from 3 but at the end the day harden don't care as long he helps his team get that w. Harden even had a laugh himself when the reporter told him he went 1-17 from 3.

[@LtGucci]

@@RobertoRodriguez-ho7we I'm laughing because the commenter said 3 percent

[@tjayabudi2838]

61 point. Amazing ..

[@abdullahh5644]

James Harden>me

[@HadezDrip4fp]

Who are you? A kid with a KZbin account?

[@kvltizt]

That's more yikes than your hairline dude

[@tylerriley2587]

He’s getting MVP I don’t want to hear anything from the haters

[@ninetyrraven9529]

That's all he's getting. He will never possess a championship. I don't want to hear nothing from the 'lovers'

[@ballerboi4980]

drop a 50 on that bih like old Harden!

[@kev2fuego]

i get so high, i hide it from the camera so smart!

[@448Vision]

Harden been going crazy

[@walimuhammad2891]

61 points wit only 59 free throws GOOAT MVP 🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐

[@cxsmeticspooky6678]

He only shot around 20

[@sinclair6978]

@@cxsmeticspooky6678 only??

[@rocketsfan2587]

We are experiencing greatness

[@listercant89]

M.V.P.

[@ТемикЛомакин]

Harden ONE LOVE!!!

[@applejuice6876]

22-25 free throws everyone don't hype this up👎🏾

[@gummy9116]

Shut up fucking bandwagon

[@GsunnyGGamer]

@@gummy9116 shutup u baby looking bitch

[@philskovby2917]

He loves to pass the ball

[@alexanderdimitrov9666]

22 free throws btw, 5/20 from three. Many points but he is not that effective.

[@GoHardShet]

4 more threes and it's 73 point night

[@muknatchamark2138]

Back in the day that Step back three of Harden better than Luka.

[@depressedcow9564]

U aint Kobe, babyyyy.

[@moeMoe-vx8eu]

Kobe brick. Most fg missed of all time.

[@MichaelKing015]

@@damnson4637 err there is one season where kobe shoot too many free throws i think it's 06-07 season he is getting calls the same way kobe is getting called in that season

[@victoriannecastle]

I don't like Harden because his plays are not that great, except when it comes to steals. But Kobe, well. Harden can be Kobe. Not just Jordan.

[@mortiferomoreno6130]

he better

[@mortiferomoreno6130]

@@isaac.a7039 facts

[@203vred]

He is underrated.

[@MannyDorito]

A lot of players would be doing this shit weekly if their coach let them shoot the ball 38 times

[@yexie8091]

most players do not have this if...

[@MannyDorito]

@@yexie8091I appreciate your attemp to reply to me in english, but you're failing horribly

[@yexie8091]

@@MannyDorito what a loser! Say this after you are one of this if

[@elua991971]

MVP 🐐

[@GiTxSHuM]

I give props to Klay thinking how he gets over 40pt games without dribbling or taking free throws.

[@RobertoRodriguez-ho7we]

Klay great but his majority of shots are assisted and harden creates everything for himself know how hard that is.

[@___________________.]

@@RobertoRodriguez-ho7we Harden hasnt had an assisted bucket since the Orlando game

[@leainfante7555]

Klay scores 60pts in 29 minutes...that's why gsw won a title coz they share the ball.

[@RobertoRodriguez-ho7we]

@@leainfante7555 klays great shooter and player but he plays with a team of all star can't compare. Harden playing with a bunch of role players come on man.

[@GiTxSHuM]

Roberto Rodriguez Well role players are still suppose to be good. That is why it is called National Basketball Association. A professional level. That is why I wonder why people downgrade their team. Warriors draft and sign all stars even before Durant. So they got a good front office. Rockets really put a lot in CP3.

[@sibiantony6397]

James dominating with his Harden signature shoes thats my man

[@Jules-vk9sp]

With only 60 ft

[@marcellodio2115]

From Sixth Man into MVP MAN!!!!

[@Dante-dr5sq]

Harden's a great player and played great tonight but this man shot 25 free-throws this game...

[@465y88]

Since when is shooting free throws bad ?

[@persianfoo]

Dante Newallo he has perfected the art of drawing fouls and is taking full advantage of the NBA’s rules. Whether it’s the 3 pointers, or stretching his hand on layups causing defenders to hit his arm instead of blocking the shot. He’s mastered the art of drawing fouls. You may not like it, but can’t hate on someone for doing that. No one can draw fouls like Harden, period.

[@jamesharden3timedpoy466]

MJ shot 23 in his 60 point game keep hating

[@465y88]

@@jamesharden3timedpoy466 no one is saying he's mj

[@465y88]

My bad I misunderstood ,I'm with you

[@thehaitianway7706]

Of course he did it in New York.