Solomon: What are the Rockets missing? James Harden.

As one might have predicted, the Rockets’ post-James Harden period acquired off to a roaring begin.

The renewed, reenergized Rockets roared in an emotional win over the Spurs every week in the past.

It was enjoyable and thrilling. Exhilarating.

Clearly, they have been a group that had been ready to exhale.

As a result of, , Harden was an issue.

In order that they walked off the courtroom on the AT&T Middle in San Antonio strutting like Bernadine after she set that BMW on fireplace.

Factor is, Angela Bassett’s character acquired higher when she dropped her loser husband, who had eyes for one more.

She was gonna be all proper. Addition by subtraction, for actual.

The Rockets didn’t enhance by buying and selling Harden to that skank in Brooklyn he wished to hook up with.

That one evening, the win in San Antonio, was good. Now what?

A mere seven days later, the Rockets have misplaced three video games in a row, and their present finest participant rolled his ankle and might be not going to play for some time.

In the meantime, Harden has starred in Brooklyn, the place he grew to become the primary participant in NBA historical past to have a 30-point triple double in a debut with a brand new group.

You didn’t imagine within the Harden-led Rockets? OK.

What about these Rockets?

For the higher a part of the previous eight seasons, the Rockets have been ok to be within the debate of whether or not they might win an NBA championship.

Sure, no, perhaps didn’t matter. They have been within the dialogue.

The brand new actuality is that they aren’t even going to be on the shedding facet of mentioned debate. They’re the unmentionables.

It’s unhappy, actually. Not too way back — um, every week or so — if the NBA was being talked about, the Rockets have been within the dialogue. Their finest participant was the most effective.

Now, their finest participant is Christian Wooden.

Oh, basketball-wise he’s a pleasure to behold. A protracted, lean dunking machine.

Plus, he has a chip on his shoulder for being neglected as a top quality professional and is an entertaining persona.

The “high quality professional” description is promoting him brief. Wooden is an All-Star-level participant.

Wooden shortly joked with Shaquille O’Neal that the TNT commentator and former NBA massive man was “an off-the-cuff” (fan) after O’Neal admitted to not realizing his sport.

It received’t be lengthy earlier than extra of the NBA world acknowledges Wooden.

He leads the Rockets at 23.5 factors a sport, 10.8 rebounds a sport and 1.8 blocks a sport.

That’s Olajuwon-like.

Wooden isn’t any Hakeem Olajuwon. And he’s no James Harden.

I’m not chopping Wooden right here. He’s a heck of a participant.

This isn’t the dangerous ol’ days when Allen Leavell led the group at 14.8 factors a sport.

These have been the darkest days of the Houston Rockets. Once they weren’t making an attempt to win or able to profitable.

These are hazy days.

Clearly not good, not clearly dangerous.

Do you miss Harden? He has been gone for under every week.

Exhale?

Wherefore out thou, James?