James Harden goes up with the ball during Houston’s 113-102 victory over Minnesota on Monday/Photo by Pat Sullivan, Associated Press

The Clippers will be tipping off with the Houston Rockets at Houston at 5 p.m. tonight (Wednesday). When they do, they figure to have their hands full with Artesia High School product James Harden.

The 6-foot-5, sixth-year shooting guard is averaging a league-high 27.3 points as well as 6.8 assists and 5.8 rebounds. On Monday he had his second triple-double of the season when he came through with 31 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in Houston’s 113-102 victory over Minnesota. He threw in a steal and four blocks for good measure.

Clippers guard Chris Paul was asked about Harden after the Clippers’ 90-87 loss to Memphis on Monday. Paul gave Harden the ultimate compliment.

“Team defense,” said Paul, when asked what could slow down Harden. “James is one of the few guys in the league that you cannot guard with one person. James is the leading scorer in the league right now. He is like one of those guys, like (Russell Westbrook), LeBron (James) and Kevin Durant.

“He can score in so many different ways, so you have to defend him with the entire team.”
Harden, who averaged 18.8 points, 7.9 rebounds and 3.9 assists his senior season at Artesia, played his college ball at Arizona State before being drafted third overall in 2009 by the Oklahoma City Thunder, for whom he played three seasons.