James Harden 13 points on 4-of-12 vs Mavericks (Mar 15, 2026)
13 PTS · 4-of-12 FG · 1-of-5 3P · 4-of-5 FT · 37:36 MIN
Usual before this game: 24.2 PTS · 16.5 FGA · 34.9 MIN, from 57 regular-season games
2nd-lowest Game Score of the 58 games the source holds this season: 6.4 against a usual 19.5 (-13.1)
below usual
No more than 5 in 100 games by players at this level finish this far below their usual.
For a player who plays every game, a game this far below the usual comes about 2 to 4 times a season.
How the score worksWhy did James Harden score 13 points?
James Harden scored 13 points against the Mavericks on Mar 15, 2026 in 37:36: 4-of-12 from the field (33.3%), 1-of-5 from three (20.0%), 4-of-5 on free throws (80.0%). Before this game, Harden averaged 24.2 points on 16.5 shots in 34.9 minutes across 57 regular-season games. By Game Score it was the 2nd-lowest of the 58 games the source holds this season. The shot count was 12, against a usual 16.5. Harden shot 33.3% from the field, against a usual 43.2%. By shot type: threes 3 points (usual 9.2); free throws 4 points (usual 6.9); two-pointers 6 points (usual 8.1). Minutes: 37:36, against a usual 34.9; Game Score per 36 minutes: 6.1, against a usual 20.1. Turnovers and fouls: 6 and 2, against a usual 3.6 and 1.9. The Cavaliers lost 130-120 at home against the Mavericks. The box score records what changed, not why: it holds no injury, matchup or coaching information.
Generated from the box score and this season's game log. How the score works
What changed
Harden in this game against the usual line
| Stat | This game | Usual (57 games) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minutes | 37:36 | 34.9 | +2.7 |
| Points | 13 | 24.2 | -11.2 |
| Shots (FGA) · FG% | 12 · 33.3% | 16.5 · 43.2% | -4.5 · -9.9 |
| 3PA · 3P% | 5 · 20.0% | 8.4 · 36.6% | -3.4 · -16.6 |
| FTA · FT% | 5 · 80.0% | 7.8 · 88.7% | -2.8 · -8.7 |
| Rebounds | 5 | 4.9 | +0.1 |
| Assists | 7 | 8.1 | -1.1 |
| Turnovers | 6 | 3.6 | +2.4 |
| UsageUsual: minutes-weighted average of per-game usage, 57 games | 22.8 | 30.2 | -7.4 |
| Game Score per 36 minutes | 6.1 | 20.1 | -14.0 |
Points by shot type
Twos, threes and free throws: the changes add up to the points change
| Shot type | This game | Usual (57 games) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Threes | 3 (1-of-5) | 9.2 (3.1-of-8.4) | -6.2 |
| Twos | 6 (3-of-7) | 8.1 (4.0-of-8.1) | -2.1 |
| Free throws | 4 (4-of-5) | 6.9 (6.9-of-7.8) | -2.9 |
| Total | 13 | 24.2 | -11.2 |
Game Score
One measure of the whole box score line
6.4 against a usual 19.5 (-13.1)
Its five parts
| Part | Change |
|---|---|
| Scoring, net of shot attempts | -9.3 |
| Rebounds | -0.2 |
| Assists | -0.7 |
| Steals and blocks | -0.4 |
| Turnovers and fouls | -2.5 |
| Total | -13.1 |
Season so far
Regular season, in date order
2nd-lowest Game Score of the 58 games the source holds this season.
Context
From the rows this page already reads
- The Cavaliers lost 130-120 at home against the Mavericks.
- Previous appearance: Mar 13, 2026, 2 days earlier.
- Earlier regular-season meetings with the Mavericks this season: 41 points (Nov 14, 2025), 29 points (Nov 29, 2025), 17 points (Mar 13, 2026).
- The source holds fewer Cavaliers games than this season has, so season highs, lows and ranks count only the games it holds.
What this page cannot tell you
The same on every performance page
Box scores record what happened, not why: no injuries or health, defensive assignments, matchups, coaching decisions or play-by-play.
Game Score against the player's own usual line. How rare a gap is comes from NBA regular-season games of 2023-24 and 2024-25, checked on 2025-26.