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The Houston Rockets discover themselves winless after two video games, with a few of their gamers nonetheless out due to the NBA’s COVID-19 well being and security protocols. After receiving a light-weight punishment for violating these protocols, All-Star guard James Harden performed within the workforce’s first two video games regardless of studies he’s searching for a method out to attempt to play for an additional title contender.
After opening the season with losses to the Portland Trail Blazers and Denver Nuggets, there aren’t any indications Harden has modified his thoughts about leaving. The Rockets, in the meantime, are nonetheless discussing a potential commerce for the 2018 MVP, as their commerce calls for have but to be met by potential suitors.
However regardless of a winless report and a COVID-19 outbreak that compelled a few of their key gamers to quarantine and miss their first few video games, there’s purpose for optimism in Clutch Metropolis relating to Harden. The 31-year-old has seemed unimaginable out of the gate regardless of a chaotic offseason, and he might nonetheless give the Rockets an opportunity to contend within the Western Convention with such a efficiency.
With the Rockets lacking new acquisitions John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, and Eric Gordon of their season opener in opposition to the Path Blazers, they weren’t given a lot of an opportunity to compete in opposition to a workforce that obtained significantly higher within the offseason. Even when Harden was given the inexperienced mild to play, there have been issues about his conditioning, particularly after spending days in quarantine earlier than the sport.
However as soon as the sport started, the eight-time All Star put these issues to relaxation by ending with 44 factors on 12-of-21 taking pictures and a career-high-tying 17 assists in 43 minutes of play in a 128-126 time beyond regulation loss. Not solely did Harden look good as soon as he stepped on the courtroom, however he additionally made his teammates look good, with huge man Christian Wooden, one other offseason acquisition, being pretty much as good as marketed with 31 factors on 14-of-22 taking pictures whereas including 13 rebounds and three assists.
Houston dressed nine players against Portland, only one greater than the league minimal for a recreation to not be postponed, and nearly pulled off a win in opposition to a workforce anticipated to contend for a playoff spot within the West.
Towards the Nuggets, the Rockets as soon as once more had 9 gamers and ended up absorbing their second straight defeat, 124-111. Even within the loss, nonetheless, Harden was his regular productive self, main Houston with 34 factors on 10-of-16 taking pictures with six rebounds and eight assists. Wooden additionally confirmed that his first recreation in a Rockets uniform was no fluke, ending with 23 factors, three rebounds, two assists, and two blocks.
After the sport, one other encouraging signal for the Rockets was how Harden was all praises for Silas and his coaching:
“He [Silas] did an ideal job,” Harden stated after the loss, in keeping with Mark Medina of USA TODAY Sports. “Very assured, knew what he was drawing up and knew the place to place his guys at.”
Regardless of a rocky begin to his head teaching tenure in Houston, which included Harden lacking the primary few days of coaching camp whereas he was partying, Silas appreciated the praise:
“He [Harden] has been dedicated since he’s been right here,” Silas stated of the previous Sixth Man of the Yr. “He’s been nice in observe, good to speak to and listening, asking good questions, pulling me to the facet and telling me issues he sees.”
It is going to be a protracted season, and Harden leaving the workforce the place he established himself as a star and one of many league’s finest gamers remains to be the almost definitely state of affairs. A string of disappointing losses might nonetheless change the workforce’s scenario and hasten his departure.
However within the workforce’s first two video games of the season, he reminded everybody of how good he may be, and why it’s troublesome to fulfill the asking worth for a participant of his caliber. Whereas Harden’s current play shouldn’t rule out a future deal fully, they need to additionally wait and see how their full workforce seems to be on the courtroom earlier than transport him to a special workforce this early into the season.
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