James Harden became the 45th NBA player to score 20,000 career points on Saturday as the Houston Rockets beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 139-109.
Harden got 22 points in the first half alone, including a step-back three-pointer that moved the 30-year-old past 20,000 and pushed the Rockets towards victory.
In the night"s other games, the Detroit Pistons lost 108-99 to the Chicago Bulls, the Los Angeles Lakers went 125-110 over theย Oklahoma City Thunder and the Dallas Mavericks blew out the Philadelphia 76ers 109-91.
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๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐! ๐ช๐ถ๐๐ต ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐๐ธ๐ฒ๐, @JHarden13 ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐บ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ฑ๐๐ต ๐ฝ๐น๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ถ๐ป @NBAHistory ๐๐ผ ๐๐ฐ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ฌ,๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ถ๐ป๐๐. pic.twitter.com/HRNmCuOkSL โ Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) January 11, 2020
The Denver Nuggets suffered an upset 110-103 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Portland Trail Blazers 122-101.
Jayson Tatum led the way with 41 points at TD Garden as his Boston Celtics trounced the New Orleans Pelicans 140-105 and broke a three-game losing streak.
Tatum shot an efficient 16-of-22 from the field and six of nine from the three-point line on his way to a career-high 41, with Gordon Hayward, Jalen Brown and Kemba Walker all having strong games.
โญ41 PTS | 72.7% FG% โญ@jaytatum0's career-high night is the perfect reminder to vote for him for @NBAAllStar ๐https://t.co/FMwC6YTlFy pic.twitter.com/Fn102iepnn โ Boston Celtics (@celtics) January 12, 2020
Celtics coach Brad Stevens said he thinks Tatum has had "a great year but I think he can get better".
"I just think he's gonna be ever-improving, he had a couple of finishes with good hands early in the game, I think he has the right attitude, attack," Stevens told reporters.
