James Harden dropped 56 points and 13 assists on Utah, one of the best defenses in the league, on Sunday. Per ESPN, the 91 points Harden created (points plus points off of assist) is the third-highest total ever, behind only Wilt’s 104 in the 100-point game (dude had two assists!) and Harden’s own 95 points created on New Year’s Eve last season with a 53-point triple-double that included 17 assists.

Harden is currently third in scoring and assists with Chris Paul out. More importantly, he has Houston on top of the Western Conference, a half-game ahead of each of Minnesota and the Warriors. Could this finally be the year Harden wins MVP after two runners-up finishes?

It’s something he and the Rockets care deeply about, based on their reactions to losing it last year to Russell Westbrook. We’ll see how big an impact CP3 makes when he returns, but Harden’s in the race right now and leads among the top players from top teams.

Scores Galore …

ATL 117, CLE 115
MIA 104, LAC 101
BOS 104, ORL 88
WAS 107, TOR 96
UTA 110, HOU 137
PHX 95, SAS 112
IND 101, NYK 108
CHA 94, MIN 112
OKC 99, POR 103
MEM 102, LAL 107

… And So Much More

Harden wasn’t the only guy with a 50-spot over the weekend: LeBron put up 57 on the Wizards Friday night after the D.C. crew came in talking that talk. The Cavaliers won that one, brushing off concerns that The King was out of shape. Then Cleveland went and lost to the horrible Hawks two days later, leading Dwyane Wade to call out the starters, of which he is not one currently. Ah well.

Also on Friday night: Manu Ginobili, age 40, broke out an unbelievable Eurostep and dunk and the Thunder lost a close game, with Brian Scalabrine getting a savage burn on Paul George. This Thunder losing close games bit is becoming familiar: Damian Lillard did it to OKC on Sunday night after Carmelo Anthony got ejected on a flagrant-2 offensive foul, which is actually impressive.

Three more incredible plays from the weekend: this J.J. Redick three-pointer (what?!), a Very Special Episode of The Kristaps Porzingis Show, and this Anthony Davis block-save (goodness me).

Whitney Medworth’s B-Sides figure out why Carmelo screams so much. Existential pain is my reason.

Paul Flannery on how Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum are ahead of schedule, and so are the Celtics.

Seerat Sohi appreciates the Nikola Jokic era in this week’s Tip-Off.

Andre Drummond went 14-of-16 from the line on Saturday. HOW?

Another shredded jersey.

LeBron uses bubbles to stay in shape. How much do you want to bet LeBron owns stock in the bubble manufacturer?

The Philadelphia 76ers have won four straight.

The Timberwolves have won five straight!

Stop worrying about Lonzo Ball.

Channing Frye on dealing with depression in the pros.

Doc Rivers told an amazing story about trying to get tossed from a meaningless April game to watch the Masters with Danny Ainge. But something doesn’t quite add up.

Draymond Green and Mark Cuban are in a row about the word “owner” and its associations, but it looks like Green isn’t interested in pushing it further after Cuban demanded an apology. I’d expressed similar concerns with the word back in summer 2014, though I must admit, I’ve fallen out of practice of using “franchisee.” I do try to use “franchise owner” in lieu of “owner,” but I slip, obviously.

Up next: No national TV on Monday, but the Heat are visiting the Warriors at 10:30 p.m. ET, and Dion Waiters has already written out the checks, so …

And finally, our thoughts are with the victims and the families of the Sutherland Springs mass shooting.

Be excellent to each other.