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Rockets' Harden could return this week

Houston Rockets star guard James Harden could return from a Grade 2 strain of his right hamstring sometime this week.

Coach Mike D'Antoni said Sunday that Harden could potentially be back in time for home games against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday and the Golden State Warriors on Saturday.

"It could be Thursday or Saturday, I don't know," D'Antoni said before the Rockets' practice Sunday at UCLA. "He's got to get better. We'll see. Whenever he's ready."

Harden, 28, suffered the injury on Dec. 31, when he drove for a layup late in the fourth quarter of a double-overtime win over the Los Angeles Lakers. He scored 40 points before leaving with the injury when he came up limping with 54 seconds remaining in regulation.

Harden will miss his seventh consecutive game when he sits out Monday night at the Los Angeles Clippers. The Rockets (30-11) have gone 4-2 without him.

The Rockets originally announced that Harden would be re-evaluated in two weeks.

Harden leads the league in scoring with 32.3 points per game and ranks fourth in assists (9.1) in 35 games this season.

--Field Level Media