Harden logged 45 points (17-30 FG, 7-14 3Pt, 4-4 FT), six assists, two steals and one rebound across 39 minutes in Monday's 119-115 victory over the Celtics in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
With Joel Embiid (knee) sitting out the series opener, Harden stepped into a more focal role as a scorer and carved up the Celtics with impressive efficiency, with the 45 points tying his playoff career high. He finished the night on a high note, putting up 15 points in the final period alone. If Embiid is able to make his way back into the lineup for Wednesday's Game 2, Harden will likely settle back into more of a facilitator role.
