NBA》He scored 32 points and reappeared the skills of the three-time scoring champion. The 37-year-old Harden slapped him in the face and had something to say.

Harden. (AP)

[Reporter Lu Yangxuan/Comprehensive Report] The 37-year-old veteran James Harden proved today that "there is still gas in the tank." Facing the Knicks, he scored a season-high 32 points, leading the team to defeat the defending champion 115:107, ending the recent two-game losing streak. He said that he does not care much about the doubts from the outside world, and now besides scoring, he is also trying to help the team in other ways.

Harden once completed three consecutive league scoring titles while playing for the Rockets. At that time, he averaged 30.4 points, 36.1 points and 34.3 points per game in three consecutive seasons. However, before today's game, he averaged only 15.3 points per game this season and his shooting percentage It was only 34.6%. He finally found his touch in New York today. He made 9 of 14 shots in this campaign and 5 of 7 three-pointers, including a three-point rebound that broke the tie with 4 minutes and 21 seconds left. He became a key contributor to the victory and surpassed Kyle Korver) became the oldest player in team history to score 30 points in a single game.

Harden said after the game, "This is my 18th season. My name is James Harden. I used to be a player who scored a lot of points. Now the situation is more like, okay, no problem, I can still score, but I also try to find other ways to affect the game. I think this may be something that people don't understand."

Regarding the sluggish start to the season and the overwhelming doubts from the outside world, Harden pointed out that he has not been affected, because in the past, when he was a scoring machine, he would also be criticized for being unable to lead the team to win. "When I averaged 36 points, 35 points per game, no matter what the actual number was, everyone said, 'You can't win like this.' Later, I averaged 20 points per game, and it was big." "You still can't win the ball." Everyone always has something to say, so I just need to focus on myself, focus on what I need to do well, try to keep my body in a very good condition, and at the same time get familiar with my teammates and learn how to play a different style of basketball. After all, I am not the fast person I was five or six years ago."

Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson pointed out that playing in Madison Square Garden, the home of the Knicks, may also be one of the reasons for Harden's outstanding performance. Harden and Kobe Bryant are currently the joint record holders for the most points scored in a single game by a visiting player at this stadium. Both scored 61 points here.

Atkinson described that "world-renowned superstars" like Harden like to play in New York. "In the past few games, we have seen that he is gradually getting back to his form. It is very gratifying to see him really perform like this tonight, which proves that he is indeed getting back to his form."