James Harden scored 37 points and added a career-high 12 assists in his Houston Rockets debut alongside Lin, giving Detroit Pistons defenders fits in his eighth career start. Harden, traded from the Oklahoma City Thunder last week, signed a five-year, $80 million contract extension Wednesday, then made good on his superstar-sized deal the same day.
The Rockets beat the Pistons 105-96 in both teams' season openers.
BOX SCORE: Houston Rockets 105, Detroit Pistons 96
Lin added 12 points, eight assists, four steals and four rebounds in his first regular-season action for the Rockets. But this was all about Harden.
Houston is gambling Harden, the reigning sixth man of the year, has starter-level talent. He does. Harden played 44 minutes and added four steals and six rebounds to his 14-for-25 shooting night. The offense flowed through him, with Lin serving as a very viable second option.
That's a superstar performance. And a giving superstar.
Harden scored 31 points in the first three quarters but spent the fourth, when Houston stormed back and pulled away, passing. Carlos Delfino, who joined Harden, Lin and Chandler Parsons in playing the final 12 minutes, scored 12 points on 4-for-5 shooting in the final stanza. Harden had five assists as the the Rockets held a 33-15 edge in the quarter.
The other big Rockets addition of the offseason, former Chicago Bulls center Omer Asik, contributed 12 points, nine rebounds and two blocks. He was 5-for-6 from the field, but he didn't need to shoot much more.
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