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It's too early to say if the Houston Rockets made the right move giving up so much for James Harden over the weekend, but his brilliant debut with the team Wednesday night did nothing to cast any doubt.
Harden scored 37 points with 12 assists and six rebounds to lead the new-look Rockets to a 105-96 win over the Detroit Pistons on the road Wednesday night. His new partner in the backcourt, Jeremy Lin, had 12 points and 8 assists.
Harden was obtained from the Oklahoma City Thunder over the weekend for Kevin Martin, Jeremy Lamb and a handful of draft picks after Harden failed to reach an extension with OKC. Houston was able to extend Harden for five years at $80 million before Wednesday's deadline to avoid free agency after the season, meaning Wednesday night's game was just the first of many in a Rockets uniform.
Detroit led by 11 early in the fourth, but Harden and Carlos Delfino (who hit four three-pointers in the final quarter) led Houston back.
Elsewhere around the league, the Lakers fell to 0-2, Dallas lost to Utah and the Spurs held off an impressive NBA debut from Anthony Davis to win on the road.
Wednesday's NBA scores:
- Philadelphia 84, Denver 75
- Indiana 90, Toronto 88
- San Antonio 99, New Orleans 95
- Houston 105, Detroit 96
- Chicago 93, Sacramento 87
- Utah 113, Dallas 94
- Golden State 87, Phoenix 85
- L.A. Clippers 101, Memphis 92
- Portland 116, L.A. Lakers 106