Harden caps preseason with a scoring flourish

MIAMI (AP) — James Harden sure seems in midseason form.
Russell Westbrook isn’t there yet.
Harden, the reigning NBA scoring champion, scored 44 points in 35 minutes — 18 of those points coming in the third quarter — and the Houston Rockets ended the preseason with a 144-133 victory over the Miami Heat on Friday night.
“James was ridiculous,” Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni said.
Harden was 12 for 26 from the field, 8 for 16 from 3-point range and 12 for 13 f