James Harden and the Rockets had a rocky start to the season, but it seems like they may have righted the ship. Their back-to-back losses to the Heat and Nets seem like a distant memory now, as they’ve put on a five game winning streak to improve to an 8-3 record.
Now, one may say that four of those wins were easy and came against teams they were supposed to beat in the Grizzlies, Warriors, Bulls, and Pelicans. The latest win in this run, against the Kawhi Leonard’s mighty Clippers, was anything but.
Harden showed that he is certainly still an MVP-caliber player, blasting the Clippers for 47 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 steals. He was on fire beyond the arc, and made 7 of 13 three pointers. He managed to carry the team on a relatively off night for Russell Westbrook, who shot 6 of 20 and finished the game with 17 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists.
Harden got a lot of help from Clint Capela too, who had his way with the Rockets’ front court to the tune of 20 rebounds.
The game showed that the Clippers do have some weaknesses. Remember, the Clippers went into the fourth quarter of their recent game with the Raptors with a deficit. The Raptors, on the second night of a back-to-back, had the misfortune of forgetting how to make a shot at an inopportune time. However, they’re still not at full strength without Paul George in the lineup. At full strength, they will likely still be the team to beat in the west.
Leonard posted 26 points, 12 rebounds, and 7 assists. Lou Williams chipped in 20 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists. They didn’t get enough help though, and the only other Clipper that scored in double digits was Jamychal Green, with 14 points.
If anything, the key takeaway from this game is that Harden can still carry a team on his back and guide them to wins even when Westbrook isn’t having a great game. He should remain the primary ball handler, and he could make a very strong case for MVP based on his early performances. It feels like the Rockets are going to be must-see TV this year.
As of now, the Rockets look like they’re going to be a pain to deal with in the playoffs.
