NEW YORK — James Harden made history in his first game with the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday night, becoming the first player to record a 30-point triple-double in their debut with a team.
Harden had 32 points, 14 assists and 11 rebounds in the team’s 122-115 win over the Orlando Magic.
Kevin Durant scored a team-high 42 points and had five assists and four rebounds in the Nets win. Harden and Durant’s combined 72 points is the most the duo has ever scored as teammates. Harden and Durant played together for three years in Oklahoma City.
Harden’s 14 assists were a franchise record for assists in a players’ first game with the team. He also had four steals, one block and nine turnovers in just under 40 minutes.
“It was incredible,” Durant said of Harden’s debut. “You can see him trying to figure the best way to play early on. I felt we all were overpassing trying to make everybody comfortable. He just got into his mode — being aggressive to score opened up the game for all of us.”
Harden, who was traded from Houston to Brooklyn as a part of a four-team deal earlier this week, started alongside Durant, Jeff Green, Joe Harris and DeAndre Jordan. It was his first on-court action with the team.
On Friday, Harden was ineligible to practice with the Nets because all of the players involved in the trade had not passed their physical exams.
Coach Steve Nash called Harden a “world-class basketball player” after the game and said he expects him to only get better as the season goes along.
“I think he’s had a strange start to the season,” Nash said. “…he’s not at his best condition yet. For him to do as many things as he did on the basketball floor tonight was incredible.”
The Nets were without their third star on Saturday, as Kyrie Irving remains in the NBA’s health and safety protocols after missing the previous five games for personal reasons. Nash said he looks forward to working Irving in when he’s available to play again.
“Throwing Kyrie in the mix makes us better. It’s a good problem to have; trying to figure out where they can coexist to their highest level and standard,” Nash said. “I think it’s going to be an adjustment for everyone, but it’s an incredible problem to have and I think it’s something to relish trying to decipher.”
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