Harden knocked out the Grizzlies at a quasi-triple double, helping the Rockets to reach the second place in the West

On May 4, 2025, the Houston Rockets defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 118-110 at home. With James Harden's "quasi-triple double" performance of 39 points, 11 rebounds and 9 assists, the team won four consecutive victories, ranking second in the West overtaking the Nuggets. In this game, Harden continued the dominance of the "bear hunting expert" and took a two-pronged approach to completely defeat the Grizzlies' defense line with personal offense and team connection.

"Bear Catching Expert" opened fire with a key goal to win the game

Facing the Grizzlies, who have faced three times this season, Harden showed aggressiveness at the beginning, scoring 14 points in the first quarter, quickly establishing an advantage through his signature step-back three-pointer and breakthrough to create damage. Although the Grizzlies approached the score many times with the height of the inside, Harden took over the game in the final quarter: he first attracted three people to double-team and then assisted Shin-kyung to get a dunk, and then made two consecutive three-pointers, scoring 15 points in a single quarter, directly locking in the victory. In the whole game, Harden made 11 of 12 free throws, continuing his comprehensive attributes of "four threats" (scoring, assisting, fouls, and controlling the field).

Team collaboration upgrade: The Rockets bid farewell to "mononuclear dependence"

Unlike the Rockets' "Morden dependence" in their early years, this game highlights the depth of the team. Harden's nine assists activated the team's offense: Jaylen Green made 5 three-pointers and scored 22 points, while rookie center Shin Kyung efficiently contributed 18 points and 10 rebounds in the interior. On the defensive end, the Rockets forced the Grizzlies to make 18 mistakes and translated into 27-point fast break points. The Grizzlies, whose team's defensive efficiency is third in the league, were limited to 42% in this game. Coach Uduka said after the game: "Harden's leading role is not only reflected in scoring, but he allows everyone to participate in the offensive and defensive system." The pattern of the Western Conference changed, and the Rockets pointed to the top of the list

After this game, the Rockets tied the Thunder, the No. 1 in the Western Conference, and temporarily ranked second due to the victory or defeat. Since Harden's return in 2023, the Rockets have gradually completed reconstruction, and have averaged points per game (116.5 points) and three-point shooting percentage (38.7%) this season both ranked among the top three in the league. The Grizzlies fell to eighth place in the Western Conference due to core injuries, and their playoff prospects are worrying.

The hidden worries behind his historical performance

Although Harden averaged 34.2 points and 8.5 assists per game in the last five games, his high usage rate (37.8%) still caused concern. The team's third scoring point, Porter Jr. is in a state of ups and downs. If the playoffs encounter targeted defense, the Rockets need more role players to stand up. However, Harden is full of confidence in this: "We are playing the best basketball, and every victory is accumulating confidence."

As the regular season comes to an end, the Rockets' chemistry and health are injecting a booster into its impact on the championship. If this trend continues, Houcheng may recreate the glory of the "Yao-Mao era", and Harden's "Legend of Bear Catching" will also add a new chapter.