Houston Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni says that he wants his star guard James Harden to double his assists-per-game average of 7.5 from last season. Following from Bleacher Report’s Kevin Ding:
“Hopefully, he’ll double his number of assists, and he had seven or eight [7.5] last year,” D’Antoni said. “I hope he can average double that. He’s one of the best passers I’ve been around.”
When Harden, who couldn’t remember how many assists he had last season, was told about his coach’s projection, his eyes widened under those thick eyebrows.
“S–t! That’s 14 assists, brother!” he said.
Told it’s actually 15 assists, Harden began to chuckle.
“Coach trippin’,” he said. “Coach trippin’.”
Harden understands the ridiculous nature of D’Antoni’s suggestion. The highest assist-per-game average in NBA history is John Stockton with 14.54. Stockton’s assist number that year was accompanied by 17.2 points per game. Harden’s 7.5 assists-per-game average last season was the highest such mark of his career. Furthermore, since landing in Houston in 2012-13, he has never averaged fewer than 25.4 points per game. It’s hard to imagine Harden scoring less than 25 points per game, and even harder to imagine a player break the record for most assists per game while also scoring 25+ points a game — even if that player is James Harden.
However, Harden did put on that sort of a performance in his season debut, scoring 34 points and racking up 17 assists. He also pulled down eight rebounds. 14 of Harden’s 17 assists came in the first half. I don’t know about a per-game average of 15 assists, but one thing is for sure: Harden could have an absolutely absurd statistical season.
