James Harden became the first player in NBA history to record at least 40 points, 10 assists, five steals and three blocks in a single game as the Houston Rockets beat the Phoenix Suns.

Harden finished one rebound shy of a triple-double and made 12 of his 25 shots (including 3-of-11 from three-point range) in a superb 42-minute performance that sealed the Rockets’ 10th win in 11 games. Harden’s 11th and final assist of the night set up a critical basket that helped cement the Rockets’ 108-102 win.

He found team-mate Danuel House Jr, playing in his first game since returning from the G-League, who drained a three-pointer with just under a minute left that sealed victory for Houston.

Houston was behind for much of the game and shot poorly from beyond the arc but their ability to finish down the stretch gave them their 10th win in their last 11 NBA games. Suns Devin Booker missed a three pointer and Harden made two more free throws to seal the win.

Harden said there are some aspects they need to improve on. “We’ve just got to be more consistent with demanding stops,” he said.

“We do it when we need to, but we need to do it throughout the course of a game. Then, that will take our game to another level.”.