James Harden has triple-double in Nets debut

James Harden delivered 32 points and a triple-double in his Brooklyn debut, Kevin Durant scored a season-high 42 points in his first game back with his former teammate, and the Nets showed off their potent potential in a 122-115 victory over the Orlando Magic on Saturday night.

Harden had 14 assists and 12 rebounds after being cleared to play earlier in the afternoon after all the players in the blockbuster trade that brought him from Houston had completed their physicals. Harden also had nine turnovers.

He had no practice time with the Nets and sure didn’t need it, becoming the first player in franchise history to have a triple-double in his debut.

Durant made five 3-pointers in his 10th game back following an 18-month layoff after rupturing his Achilles tendon in the 2019 NBA Finals. He hiked his average to 30.7 points, which would be his highest since he scored a league-leading 32 per game and won NBA MVP honors for Oklahoma City in 2014.

Nikola Vucevic had 34 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists for the short-handed Magic. They have lost five straight.

SPURS 103, ROCKETS 91

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — DeMar DeRozan scored 24 points, Dejounte Murray had 18 points and 10 rebounds and San Antonio beat undermanned Houston to snap a four-game home losing streak.

Coming off a victory Thursday night in San Antonio, Houston was on the brink of not having eight players available as required by the league, but met the minimum in the final hour. The Rockets had seven healthy players after Sterling Brown was ruled out due to a lower leg injury, but Rodions Kurucs became eligible prior to game time when the NBA approved the blockbuster trade involving James Harden.

Christian Wood had 24 points and 17 rebounds for Houston, and Mason Jones had a season-high 24 points. Ben McLemore had a season-high 21 points.

Image credits: AP