Philadelphia 76ers guard James Harden of Los Angeles, California became the first player in franchise history to record 20 assists in a game twice in a season on Monday according to ESPN. He accomplished the feat by recording 20 assists in a 147-143 win over the Indiana Pacers.
Harden’s 20 helpers came on a night when he had a double-double. He also had 14 points. Tyrese Haliburton of the Pacers also had a double-double involving assists, as he had 40 points and 16 helpers.
Six 76ers reached double digits in points. Joel Embiid had 42 points, Tyrese Maxey had 24 points, Jalen McDaniels had 20 points, Shake Milton had 15 points, and Danuel House Jr. had 10 points.
The 290 total points were the most points scored by both teams in a 48-minute regulation game in 2022-23. It should be noted that the Sacramento Kings and Los Angeles Clippers combined for 351 points earlier this year. The Kings won 176-175.
Harden previously had 21 assists in a 119-114 Philadelphia win over the Los Angeles Clippers on December 23. Ironically, Harden is the only player to have 20 assists in a game this season, and it is something he has done twice.
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Harden is fourth this season in total assists. He is only behind Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks (585), Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets (570), and Haliburton (544). Truly, one of the biggest stories in the NBA this season is the fact that Jokic is second in the NBA in assists as a 2022-23 as a center.
On the season, Harden is averaging a NBA high 10.8 assists per game. Haliburton is second with 10.3 assists per game. He is also averaging 21.9 points per game, 6.3 rebounds per game, and has a field goal percentage of .449, three-point percentage of .401, and a three-point percentage of .872.
The 76ers are third in the East this season at 42 wins and 22 losses. They are behind the Milwaukee Bucks (46-18) and Boston Celtics (45-21).
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