After making a run to the second round of the playoffs, the New York Knicks will be looking to add some depth to their roster to help them sustain another playoff run next season.

According to a Western Conference Executive who spoke with Heavy on Sports’ Sean Deveny under the condition of anonymity, former Knicks’ wings Alec Burks and Reggie Bullock could find themselves being potential trade targets for their old team.

“I think they’d like to get back Alec Burks or Reggie Bullock or both,” The executive said. “Neither is a free agent, Burks is staying put in Detroit, but maybe you could work a trade there. Those are the kinds of guys they need, some versatility, play a few positions, can start when needed, can come off the bench.”

By adding one or both of Burks and Bullock, the Knicks would be giving themselves the additional wing depth they were missing last season – something which became a problem when Julius Randle had to miss games through injury.

Knicks Could Land Dejounte Murray

According to Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus, the Atlanta Hawks find themselves in a precarious cap situation, which could force them to begin making some tough roster decisions. As such, Pincus has reported that Dejounte Murray could potentially be available via trade, ‘in the right deal.’

“The Hawks are facing a more immediate problem under the new CBA, with a payroll projected to be $172 million and $16.4 million in luxury taxes (more if players hit various incentives)” Pincus wrote. “The team is believed to be looking for a home for John Collins, but some whispers abound that Dejounte Murray could be had in the right deal.”

Jalen Brunson has already proven his ability to flourish when playing alongside a ball-dominant star, as we saw during his tenure with the Dallas Mavericks. As such, Brunson’s presence on the Knicks roster would be an unlikely deterrent should the front office decide to make an offer for Murray.

“Murray is due $18.2 million this season but may not be open to an extension limited to a $25.4 million starting salary,” Pincus continued. “Unless Atlanta can shed significant salary elsewhere, they may not be able to afford Murray at his current price, let alone on a new deal in his likely asking range above $30 million.”

Murray had a solid year with the Hawks, averaging 20.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per game while shooting the ball at a 46.4% clip from the field and a 34.4% clip from the perimeter.

Rockets Have Josh Hart Listed as Backup Target

According to The Athletic’s Kelly Iko, who was speaking on a June 13 episode of the HoopsHype podcast with Micahel Scotto, the Houston Rockets could emerge as potential suitors for Josh Hart – should their initial targets become unavailable.

“If the [Brooklyn] Nets and [Los Angeles] Lakers are bent on keeping [Cam] Johnson and [Austin] Reaves, they have other names in mind, like Dillon Brooks, Josh Hart, and Kelly Oubre,” Iko said.

Since joining the Knicks, Hart has been vocal about his desire to remain with the team, and following his impressive performances through the postseason, it would appear the feeling is reciprocated by the coaching staff and front office.

However, once Hart turns down the player option in his current deal, he will become an unrestricted free agent, which will put pressure on the Knicks to get a new deal over the line as quickly as possible – otherwise, they will risk losing the impressive wing.

In an effort to lure James Harden from the Philadelphia 76ers in free agency, Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus concocted a mock trade involving three teams that would send a pair of All-NBA defenders, Draymond Green and OG Anunoby, as well as 17-point-per-game scorer Gary Trent Jr., to the Houston Rockets.

“The timing and order of operations would need to be precise, but in July, the Rockets could sign Harden to the max, acquire Green on an extend-and-trade from Golden State and land both Anunoby and Trent from the Raptors,” Pincus prefaced before saying, “The bounty from Houston would be divided between the Warriors and Toronto.”

Pincus broke down what pieces would go to the Golden State Warriors (for Green) and the Toronto Raptors (for Anunoby and Trent) in exchange for the three starting caliber players.

“Perhaps it’s No. 4 and one of the Rockets’ top three prospects (Jalen Green, Jabari Smith or Alperen Sengun) to Toronto, with (Kenyon) Martin and (Kevin) Porter to the Warriors. Golden State gets a well-regarded young role player in Martin at $1.9 million for 2023-24, a $9.8 million trade exception and an incredible $153.5 million tax savings with Green gone and Porter stretched.”

Rockets Can Target Karl-Anthony Towns to Pair With James Harden

The other situation Pincus floated for the Rockets to lure Harden from the Sixers is a three-team arrangement that’d land Karl-Anthony Towns in the Space City — a situation that’d require a third team to give the Minnesota Timberwolves proper value for the big man if Scoot Henderson isn’t available at Houston’s No. 4 slot in the 2023 NBA draft.

“If Scoot Henderson isn’t there at No. 4 (he’s projected at No. 3 by B/R’s Jonathan Wasserman), then the Timberwolves may need Houston to rope in another franchise if it’s giving up Towns,” Pincus wrote.

Pincus floated the Atlanta Hawks as a potential third trade partner in this scenario due to their looming cap crunch involving Dejounte Murray’s financial future. Murray, according to Pincus, could be a replacement for Mike Conley in Minnesota’s backcourt.

“The Hawks are facing a more immediate problem under the new CBA, with a payroll projected to be $172 million and $16.4 million in luxury taxes (more if players hit various incentives),” Pincus wrote. “The team is believed to be looking for a home for John Collins, but some whispers abound that Dejounte Murray could be had in the right deal.”

‘Zero’ Percent Chance James Harden Leaves Sixers for Suns, Says Phoenix Radio Host

While the Harden-Rockets reunion possibility remains on the table, the chance that “The Beard” becomes a teammate of Kevin Durant for the third time in their careers on the Phoenix Suns has a “zero” percent chance of happening according to Arizona Sports 98.7 FM Phoenix’s John Gambadoro.

“Can we stop with these ridiculous James Harden reports,” Gambadoro prefaced before saying, “There is a zero percent chance this would happen. ZERO.”

The Sixers would’ve needed to accept a sign-and-trade offer from the Suns that would send Chris Paul back to Philadelphia. Whether or not Daryl Morey wants to do so in order to not send Harden back to their shared former franchise is unclear at this point.

While the rumor mill continues to churn out talk of a James Harden return to the Rockets, the logic of such a transaction is lost on a number of NBA sources.

Harden has a $35.6 million player option to remain in Philadelphia, part of a two-year deal he signed last July, but reports have him agonizing whether to stay and play for new coach Nick Nurse (Harden wasn’t the most ardent Doc Rivers supporter) or go back to the Rockets, for whom he had his greatest individual success.

His three league scoring titles in eight-plus Houston seasons, the last of which was 2019-20, would seem to make him a high-value free agent. But the very young Rockets are in heavy rebuilding mode, coming off a tie for the second-worst record in the NBA and owning the No. 4 overall pick in the June 22 draft. They also have the 20th pick, via the Clippers.

“Why would Houston want him?” one league source told Heavy Sports. “And other than from negotiating leverage, why would he want Houston? I mean, none of that adds up.”

Harden to Rockets = ‘Negotiating Ploy’

Said an NBA executive, “There’s this talk about him going back to Houston, but from what I understand it’s nothing more than a negotiating ploy. He knows that these guys aren’t going to max him. He’s no longer a max player, but he’s hoping that Philly wants him back and is willing to pay him.

“Houston’s making changes, so what connections will James have with the new people — and why would Houston, that has a bunch of youngsters that they’re trying to grow into NBA players, why would they bring in someone with James’ history of partying?”

In Harden’s defense on this issue, it should also be pointed out that he is one of the more diligent players in the league when it comes to working hard in the weight room. The question is whether he’ll be able to withstand that tug-o-war on his body sufficiently as he turns 34 this August.

Injuries have been a problem, limiting him to 58 regular season games this past year, and while he had 45- and 42-point games against Boston in the recent conference semifinals, he averaged 13.4 in the other five games. And in the Game 7 showdown against the Celtics, Harden scored nine points on 3-11 shooting in 41 minutes of the 24-point loss.

“Look, in the right situation, I think he could be an important part of a team. He could contribute to a good team,” said an Eastern Conference exec told Heavy. “But is he ready to take that role and be paid what that role is worth? From our conversations, what James is looking for is someone to pay him at a rate that he thinks that he’s worth, which he’s not.

“So James is in that unfortunate circumstance that we talk about all the time. Who’s the last person to know it’s over? The player. His status as a max, alpha player in this league, it’s over. He can’t produce wins.”

Harden does still have value, to be clear.

“He can get numbers; he can help a team,” the exec said. “But he’s not a max player anymore. You can’t justify it. The unfortunate part is that more and more of us are going to metrics, and there’s nobody’s metric measurement that looks at him and his efficiency and what he gives up defensively and says, ‘Oh, yeah, this is a guy we should max out.'”

Short Deal for Harden Makes Some Sense

However, the Rockets do have money to spend, and perhaps the club could be interested if Harden is willing to take a shorter deal to come back to Houston.

“I think what Houston has to be afraid of in signing Harden is getting stuck in years three and four,” one general manager said. “I could maybe see it for a year or two, but does James go for something like that when this is probably his last chance for a big bite of the apple?

“And with Ime (Udoka, the Rockets’ new coach) focusing on defense, is that going to be a fit?”

There is also talk that Houston is considering Amen Thompson, another tall point guard (6-feet-7 to Harden’s 6-feet-5) with the No. 4 pick. If the Rockets go in that direction, that would seem to create another fit issue.

While the Denver Nuggets and Miami Heat are preparing for the 2023 NBA Finals, every other team around the league has switched to offseason mode.

Front offices have shifted their attention to the draft and free-agency period, as they’re both less than a month away.

What do NBA executives think of this summer’s free agent class?

Executives Are Split on This Class

“It’s a very weak class,” an Eastern Conference executive told Heavy Sports. “I assume the big names and restricted free agents are staying [with their current teams].”

After talking to several NBA decision-makers, it quickly became clear that this year’s free agent class is polarizing. Some teams are more excited than others for the NBA’s free agency period to kick off on June 30.

“I think this is a very good class, with a lot of implications on the Western Conference in general, and for several teams [in particular],” a Western Conference scout told Heavy Sports. “A lot of key pieces are in play.”

While it’s true that there isn’t a ton of star power in the 2023 free agent class, there are a number of quality role players available.

“This class has a small group of star-level players who are aging out a bit and a strong group of rotational pieces,” an Eastern Conference general manager explained to Heavy Sports.

With the NBA incentivizing contract extensions in the new
Collective Bargaining Agreement, it’s possible that we’ll see fewer star-studded free-agent classes in the future. Previously, teams could only offer players a 120% raise in the first year of an extension, but now they can offer a 140% raise. This could lead to more extensions and fewer big-name players hitting free agency.

“This free-agent class is a reflection of what future classes could look like with the new extension rules,” the East general manager added. “There will likely be even more extensions done moving forward with the new rules, which will water down the free-agent classes.”

Also, under the previous CBA, teams were limited to only two players on a designated super-max contract. The new CBA removed these restrictions, which will make it easier for teams to lock up their franchise cornerstones on super-max deals and prevent them from ever hitting free agency.

Which Players Are Available?

GettyNikola Vucevic of the Chicago Bulls faces off against Brook Lopez of the Milwaukee Bucks.

The top names in this free-agent class are James Harden, Kyrie Irving, Fred VanVleet, Khris Middleton, Kristaps Porzingis and Draymond Green.

But, as the East GM mentioned, there are also quality rotation players including Brook Lopez, Jakob Poeltl, Cameron Johnson, Nikola Vucevic, Jerami Grant, Harrison Barnes, Kyle Kuzma, Austin Reaves, Josh Hart, D’Angelo Russell, Jordan Clarkson, Gabe Vincent, Christian Wood, Rui Hachimura, Gary Trent Jr., Bruce Brown, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Russell Westbrook, P.J. Washington, Tre Jones and Caris LeVert.

Entering this offseason, the following teams project to have the most cap space: the Houston Rockets ($61 million), San Antonio Spurs ($40-48 million), Utah Jazz ($31-45 million), Orlando Magic ($22-58 million), Charlotte Hornets ($27-37 million), Oklahoma City Thunder ($31 million), Detroit Pistons ($30 million) and Indiana Pacers ($28 million).

Be sure to check out Heavy Sports’ 2023 NBA free agency rankings, including analysis of each player hitting the open market and the latest rumors about their impending free agency.

Alex Kennedy is the Chief Content Officer at BasketballNews.com.

With both Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown on their roster, the Boston Celtics are in the fortunate position of boasting two elite-level wings who can impact the game on both sides of the floor.

Yet, since Tatum and Brown rose to prominence in the league, there’s been countless trade rumors regarding Boston’s willingness to trade Brown for a superstar player – think the Kevin Durant saga from last summer. However, with just one year remaining on his current contract, it would appear that other teams are willing to test Boston’s desire to keep Brown long-term.

According to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, the Houston Rockets, who recently hired former Celtics head coach Ime Udoka, could be interested in acquiring Brown this summer and would likely be willing to dangle former top-2 draft pick Jalen Green as part of the deal.

“Celtics All-Star Jaylen Brown, whom rival executives are closely monitoring as he becomes extension eligible this summer, has been one of Udoka’s most public supporters after Boston suspended the coach following an improper relationship with a Celtics staffer,” Fischer wrote. “The Rockets, sources said, also addressed the idea of including second-year guard Jalen Green, the No. 2 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, as part of a package for acquiring established star talent.”

Brown, 26, will become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2024, and unless President of Basketball Operations, Brad Stevens, believes Brown will re-sign with Boston, he could be tempted to explore the trade market for the All-Star wing once more.

Jaylen Brown ‘Wants to Lead’ His Own Team

During an April 14 appearance on the Green With Envy podcast, NBA Insider Howard Beck discussed some of the rumblings he’s heard from around the league regarding Jaylen Brown’s future.

“For players in Jaylen Brown’s position, who were drafted to this team,” Beck said. “You didn’t choose the team. You may like the team. You may like your teammates. You may have great regard for the organization. It’s still not the team you chose or the city you chose. And you may have other priorities. But the one thing I’ve heard about Jaylen Brown…What I’d heard from people around the league over the last couple of years was this constant theme of not the whole Jaylen versus Jayson thing. It’s not about whether or not they get along. Or about whether they like each other like playing together or everything else.”

Brown’s game has continued to evolve this season, with the veteran wing earning his second All-Star appearance, along with putting himself in a position to potentially earn an All-NBA selection.

Malcolm Brogdon Is Impressed With Jaylen Brown

When speaking to the media as part of a March 27 press conference, Malcolm Brogdon shared his thoughts on why Jaylen Brown deserves to be recognized for his performances this season by being selected to an All-NBA team.

“He’s the best shooting guard in the league,” Brogdon said. “He’ll be All-NBA. He’ll make one of the teams this year. And his game really speaks for himself. When JT is out, he’s a #1 option, and he’s showing that he can be that. He’s put in the work. He’s evolved since we came to the league together. He’s evolved and taken giant steps forward every year. He’s playing at an extremely high level.”

Should Brown earn himself an All-NBA nod, he will become eligible for a supermax contract, which could scupper the Rockets’ hopes of landing him via trade this summer or via free agency in 2024.

One of the hot rumors across the NBA in recent weeks has been the interest of James Harden to leave the Philadelphia 76ers and return to the Houston Rockets. The former MVP signed a two-year deal with the Sixers this offseason with the second year as a player option. The consensus coming into the season would be that he would opt out of the deal following the season in search of more long-term security, but there may not be as much of a certainty that this will be with the Sixers.

With so much attention spent on Harden’s desire, it feels there has not been enough attention paid to if Houston is interested in a reunion themselves. The youthful roster is loaded with young talent and is still a few years away from growing into true playoff threats. While many executives have spoken about the legitimacy of Harden’s interest, a recent report by Ric Bucher of Fox Sports stated that an Eastern Conference executive laughed at the idea of Harden serving a mentorship role on the Rockets.

Would the Rockets Want Harden?

There is no doubt there is value in having a veteran leader on a young team. Many argued the lack of veteran leadership came back to bite the Sixers when they transitioned out of their rebuild and began to contend. However, it also is fair to assess that Harden may not be an ideal candidate.

The jokes about his off-court interests and habits of partying write themselves among a team full of guys who have yet to turn 23. However, the greater concern falls with the on-court fit. Harden possesses one of the highest basketball IQs of any player in the NBA and makes passes that few other players can even identify. But he also is one of the most ball-dominant players in the league and each time he dribbles the ball for the first 15+ seconds of the shot clock, it takes the ball out of the young players’ hands.

Allowing young players to play through their struggles is even more important than providing the framework for veteran leadership. This is especially the case considering young Rockets’ standouts, such as Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr, are also very ball-dominant.

Why the Rockets Don’t Make Sense for Harden

It is no surprise Harden reflects fondly on his time in Houston. He played his best basketball in a Rockets jersey, including winning MVP, three scoring titles, and having some of the greatest regular season success of all time. There also is surely weight to Harden loving the city itself and enjoying being the heart of the entertainment and cultural influence of Houston.

However, the 33-year-old has also been extremely open about his desire to win a championship. Harden cited this as the reason he so publically demanded out of Houston less than two years ago. The frustrations of his partnership with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in a way that did not equate to winning also led him to force his way out of Brooklyn and to the Sixers. These reports of interest in returning to Houston would essentially close the championship window of Harden’s career and leave that box unchecked on his resume.

After going in-depth with Yaron Weitzman of Fox Sports just two weeks ago about the importance of his legacy to him, things just don’t seem to align. If Harden wants to continue to compete for a championship while playing a high-level contributing role, it will be difficult for him to find a better opportunity than in Philadelphia. All signs point to the rumors being nothing more than a leverage play for his upcoming contract, although that may be a more difficult decision for the Sixers than it was once expected to be.

James Harden left the Rockets on messy terms earlier this season, a breakup that helped to at least temporarily obscure how much Harden did for Houston and its NBA team in more than eight years.

Still, Harden’s impact on the Rockets became crystal clear almost immediately after his departure for the Brooklyn Nets; two weeks after the trade, the Harden-less Rockets lost a team-record 20 straight games.

Questions quickly arose about how Houston would be able to replace even a fraction of what Harden provided for them. But recently, the Rockets have gotten a glimmer of hope in that regard — and Harden approves.

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Harden Supports Kevin Porter Jr.

Kevin Porter Jr. went off for 50 points, five rebounds and 11 assists against the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday, a monstrous effort by the NBA sophomore whose star has continued to rise since being called up from the G-League in early March.

The 20-year-old, who was selected with the 30th overall pick in the 2019 draft, is averaging 16.7 points, 6.4 assists and 3.9 rebounds in 32.3 minutes for the Rockets this season.

The Beard is taking note.

“Lefty DIFFERENT,” Harden tweeted Friday while tagging Porter Jr., who, like Harden, shoots left-handed.

A day before Porter Jr.’s 50-point night, the NBA fined him $50,000 for violating the league’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols for visiting a Miami Strip Club earlier this month, per ESPN.

Consider that another similarity to Harden, who also has been known to have an affinity for strip clubs.

On Twitter, Rob Perez quickly drew that parallel while claiming that Harden’s legacy appeared to be in good hands in Houston.

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Harden & Porter Jr. Have Strong Relationship

As Perez noted on Twitter, a graphic flashed on the ESPN broadcast when Porter Jr. was drafted in 2019. It showed that his favorite player was Harden.

Porter was traded from the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Rockets on January 21, a few days after Houston shipped Harden to Brooklyn in a mega four-team deal. So the two lefties didn’t have the chance to overlap as teammates.

According to the The Akron Beacon Journal, Porter said he trained with Harden during the summer of 2019. After they faced off for the first time in December 2019 — Porter was with the Cavs at the time, and Harden with the Rockets — Porter said Harden gave him a simple message.

″‘Just keep going,”’ Porter said Harden told him, per the Beacon Journal. “Me and him are very close. Definitely a big brother to me and one of my idols in the league.”

Harden’s Return From Injury Still Not Imminent

Harden on Friday will miss his 13th straight game for the Nets as he nurses a hamstring strain.

Earlier this week, Nets coach Steve Nash said Harden was on the road with the team during its most recent road trip and is “starting to build up his capacity,” according to Alex Schiffer of The Athletic.

On Friday, ahead of Brooklyn’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers, Nash said “we’ll see” when he was asked if we’ve seen the last of Harden in the regular season, per Schiffer.

Brooklyn’s Big Three of Harden, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving has play only seven games together since the Nets traded for Harden in January.

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Houston Rockets guard John Wall couldn’t wait to get his hands on his former team – the Washington Wizards – and didn’t back down when he was granted his opportunity to express his feelings towards the Wizards organization.

After playing nine seasons with the Wizards, Wall was dealt to the Rockets during the offseason in exchange for All-Star point guard Russell Westbrook. And on Tuesday night, Wall seized his first opportunity for revenge in the form of a 107-88 blowout.

John Wall On Wizards Organization: ‘Feel Like The Organization Thought I Was Done’

He led the Rockets with 24 points. After the game, Wall was asked about the trade and what he thought was the biggest reason Washington traded him to Houston.

“I feel like the organization thought I was done, no matter how much hard work I put in over the summer,” Wall said during a postgame interview on the Rockets’ television broadcast, per ESPN. “They came and watched me. I thought they thought I was done. That’s why I came out here and did what I did.”

Being reunited with his former teammates certainly brought him joy. Wall couldn’t resist smiling in the fourth quarter while the Rockets built a double-digit lead and could smell blood.

Outside of a back-and-forth exchange with Westbrook, the ending of the fourth quarter was a peaceful reunion.

“I don’t have a problem with those guys. They ain’t did nothing wrong to me. Brad [Beal] is a talented basketball player [and also], my brother. Who wouldn’t want to watch a guy like that perform on a high level every night? I definitely want to see him play basketball. Yes, I watch the games,” Wall said per NBC Sports Washington’s Chase Hughes.

“Me and [Thomas Bryant] have a relationship, I want to see him do great. Me and Ish [Smith] go back to being in North Carolina together. Jerome [Robinson] went to the high school that I went to one point in time. Garrison Mathews, we’re pretty cool. He said, man, he missed me. That was pretty interesting to hear after the game. I told him, ‘I wish you the best of luck. Keep playing well. I’m happy you got the opportunity to be on the team and not a two-way guy. Go make yourself some money.’ I think he’s proven a lot of people wrong.”

Rockets’ DeMarcus Cousins On John Wall’s Performance Vs. Wizards: ‘I Didn’t Expect Anything Less’

Now, Wall continues his new chapter in Houston. The Rockets captured their third consecutive win and for the first time in the infant stage of the post-James Harden era, things are looking up.

John’s already made a believer out of one of his teammates – DeMarcus Cousins – who wasn’t surprised to see his point guard deliver a terrific game against the team that drafted Wall over a decade ago.

“I’ve known this guy [Wall] for a long time,” Cousins said after the game, via ESPN. “I’ve seen his approach to big games and games that have some type of importance to him. I’ve seen him perform every time at a high level, so I didn’t expect anything less.”

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Houston Rockets point guard John Wall and Washington Wizards All-Star Russell Westbrook – the two point guards that were swapped for one another before the start of the regular season, exchanged words during and after the Rockets’ 107-88 win over the Wizards Tuesday night.

Wall, who was solely responsible for leading a 9-2 Rockets run midway through the final frame, fouled Westbrook with 5:16 left to play – which triggered a heated exchange between the two.

John Wall On Spat With Russell Westbrook: ‘That’s What Two Competitive Guys Do’

They both had to be separated before the officials slapped both with a double technical foul.

“That’s what two competitive guys do,” Wall said after the game, per Tim MacMahon ESPN.com. “Russ been kicking my ass for years. This is only my third win against Russ, I think, since I’ve been in the league. So that means that he’s a hell of a talent.

“I know he’s going through injuries, same as I was, and we’re just trying to keep getting better, trying to lead our teams. But [it was] just two competitive guys trash-talking. This ain’t the first time we trash-talked before, and we know how good that he can be.”

In the video, provided by Bleacher Report, the jawing between the two didn’t stop while Westbrook attempted his free-throws. You can then see an enthusiastic Wall clapping his hands behind Russ while he attempts his second shot.

Wall’s 24 points led three Rockets players with 19+ points against Washington Tuesday night. DeMarcus Cousins tallied a double-double (19 points, 11 rebounds) in his impressive stat line that included 5 steals and one block and Eric Gordon (20) connected on 6-of-13, including a pair of threes.

Russell Westbrook On Trash-Talking: ‘I Don’t Start Talking S—, I Defend Myself’

Bradley Beal scored a game-high 33 points but Westbrook, who flirted with a triple-double (19 points, 11 rebounds, 7 assists) in the loss, was asked about the exchange between him and Wall after the game.

“Now listen, I don’t start talking s—,” Westbrook said, via ESPN.com. “I defend myself because I don’t just allow people to say just anything, especially when I know the facts as it pertains to anybody on the court against [me]. So, I think [Wall and DeMarcus Cousins] just started talking s— because they just started to win, started winning at that time.

“So, you know, it’s cool, though. We play them again.”

When asked if the outburst from Westbrook had anything to do with the fact he was facing his former team, Russell replied, “I don’t like losing to anybody,” according to ESPN. And it’s understandably so when you glance at the standings.

Losers of five of their last six outings and with only three games in the win column, the Wizards currently hold the worst record in the NBA (3-10). Rockets (7-9), on the other hand, have won three consecutive games and will look to stretch it to four when they take on the Portland Trail Blazers Thursday night in Houston.

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One of the Houston Rockets’ greatest players in franchise history was granted his wish to leave town and start a new chapter of his career with the Brooklyn Nets.

Rockets fans weren’t the only ones left disappointed in James Harden’s decision to leave town. NBA on TNT analysts, including Basketball Hall of Fame legends Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal, weighed in on the subject Thursday night.

Harden, who told reporters, “I love this city. I literally have done everything I can,” he said, via Bleacher Report. “I mean, this situation is crazy. It’s something that I don’t think can be fixed,” less than 24 hours before he was sent to Brooklyn after these final words as a member of the Rockets.

Shaq On Harden’s Decision To Leave Houston: ‘When You Say You Gave The City Your All, That Ain’t True’

Those comments didn’t sit well with Shaq, who opened up about Harden heading to Brooklyn on TNT’s Inside The NBA Thursday night.

“When you say you gave the city your all; that ain’t true,” O’Neal said. “You asked for Dwight Howard. We gave him to you; it didn’t work out. You asked for Chris Paul. We gave him to you. You asked for some shooters. We gave it to you. You asked for (Russell) Westbrook, your homeboy from little league, we gave him to you. It didn’t work out. When you said, ‘I gave you everything,’ I say, ‘No, you didn’t.’”

From his own perspective, O’Neal took it a step further.

“I used to be like James,” O’Neal added. “I used to come home and complain and my father, rest in peace, Sgt. Philip Harrison, used to say, ‘Well, what the hell did you do?’ He ain’t do nothing. He ain’t step up when he was supposed to step up.

“I know a lot of people in Houston who are glad he’s gone.”

Shaq says that it’s now championship or bust for the Nets.

“He’s got his superteam,” O’Neal said. “He’s got to win this year. If he don’t win this year, it’s a bust. Period.”

Charles Barkley On Nets’ New ‘Big 3’: ‘I Don’t Think They’re Going To Make The Sacrifice’

Shaq’s co-host, Charles Barkley jumped in on the conversation by adding that he doesn’t believe a superteam that consists of Harden, Kevin Durant, and Kyrie Irving can win a championship. For Chuck, it comes down to superstars making sacrifices, and that’s not something he envisions in Brooklyn’s new ‘Big 3.’

“The only one of those three guys who has proven to me that he’s not selfish and not a ‘me’ guy is KD,” Barkley said. “KD went to Golden State and he sacrificed. James Harden and Kyrie Irving have never shown me ‘I just want to win. That’s the most important thing.’ You’ve got one guy, KD, he’s unselfish. The other two guys, they just care about their numbers, and I don’t think they’re going to make the sacrifice. They’re going to get less shots.

“Are those guys going to say, I’m just going to say, ‘You know what, I’m just going to play hard and play defense and not sorry about my individual numbers’? To me, that’s a hell, no”

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For James Harden and the Houston Rockets, the end is quickly approaching.

The 2018 NBA MVP went public with his desire to leave Houston – a trade demand that was speculated during the off-season, well before reports confirmed what was going on behind the scenes. And now, it appears both sides have reached the point of no return following the Rockets’ 117-100 loss to the champion Los Angeles Lakers Tuesday night.

Perhaps, the blowout loss was a striking reaffirmation of The Beard; of just how far behind the Rockets are to competing at the same level as the returning champs.

John Wall Calls Out James Harden: ‘You Want To Jump Off The Cliff Off Of Nine Games?’

Unlike Harden, John Wall sees things differently in Houston. Wall opened up about his relationship with James.

“I think it’s been a little rocky, can’t lie about that,” Wall said, according to the New York Post. “I don’t think it’s been the best it could be, to be honest. That’s all I really could say.”

However, not every player shares the same feelings as Harden.

“At the end of the day, a lot of guys here want to compete at a high level,” Wall said, per ESPN. “I told the guys before; when the 1-through-15 guys are all on the same page and they commit; they know their role, they know what they want to do, they know what they want to get out of this: that’s to win. You all will be fine but when you have certain guys in the mix that don’t want to buy-in all as one, it’s going to be hard to do anything special; anything good as a basketball team.”

Wall elaborated on his point by alluding to how destructive a player’s selfishness can be on a team and adding that it’s still too early in the season for the Rockets to give up hope.

“I’ve been on those teams,” Wall added, per ESPN. “I’ve been on a team where in my first five years it was all about me, me, me, me; not about the team. That hurts, it hurts and it brings everybody down but if we can all get on the same page, we can be something good here. We can’t dwell down on it because it’s only been nine games, now. C’mon, man.

“You want to jump off the cliff off of nine games? There’s still a lot of basketball to be played.”

James Harden On 2021 Houston Rockets: ‘This Situation Is Crazy, It’s Something That Can’t Be Fixed’

Harden, who’s spent the past eight seasons in Houston, has led the Rockets to two Western Conference finals appearances, including a conference-leading 65-win season in 2018, says he doesn’t believe the Rockets will be contenders in 2021.

“I love this city. I literally have done everything I can,” Harden said, per Bleacher Report, Tuesday night after the loss. “I mean, this situation is crazy. It’s something that I don’t think can be fixed.”

Harden then stormed off and didn’t answer any further questions. Although my guess is he wouldn’t have been able to answer the biggest question on everyone’s mind; what happens next?

ESPN Sources: ‘Houston’s Front Office Is Determined To Remain Patient’

According to ESPN, sources say, “Houston’s front office is determined to remain patient until its asking price for the 2018 NBA MVP is met.”

Houston is in no rush to deal Harden, at the moment, however, the longer the Rockets wait, the more we’ll see James’ trade value diminish. But, at this point, when you consider how early in the season it is, there is a good chance at least two teams will anxiously try to outbid the other and in that case, maybe, the Rockets get reasonable compensation.

Unfortunately, it’s going to be very difficult for Houston to land equal value for Harden, given the risk teams are unwilling to take for a guy of his reputation. The player who inked a four-year, $171 million contract extension just to ask for his walking papers the following year.

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The Toronto Raptors’ 1-5 rocky start to the 2020-21 campaign could signal that a drastic change is in order.

Houston Rockets superstar James Harden, whose trade demand still stands in Houston, has recently been connected with Toronto as a potential destination for the NBA’s 2018 MVP, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. Windhorst, who joined Toronto’s Sports Net 590 The Fan on Monday, says the Raptors would package a deal centered on All-Star Pascal Siakam, along with other players and future first-round draft picks.

He also added that he believes it would be a good move for the Raptors, given their defensive prowess this season, while Harden would give their offense – one that’s been in flux this year – the much-needed firepower it’s been sorely missing.

“If you look at the Raptors from the top view, you would say even though they’re 1-4 they’re defense is still performing,” Windhorst said. Well, even though you lost two really good defensive big men (Serge Ibaka, Marc Gasol), they’re defending at a level – that is where you want them defending. I think yesterday they were fourth in the league in defense. They’re offense has been horrible, just horrible – bottom 5. And so, you say, if you just defend and Norman Powell gets out of his funk, Pascal gets out of his funk, I’d expect O.G. to score more, you can sort of say that but that’s where they’re issue is – they don’t have that offensive firepower.

“They do have a really good team-defensive concept. So, you start to think; where can you get offensive firepower?”

Enter: Harden.

“That’s why you start thinking about a guy like Harden,” Windhorst added. “Because you know he’s a terrible defender but if you have good team-defense around them; that’s the formula for a huge amount of victories.”

Raptors’ Pascal Siakam, O.G. Anunoby & Malachi Flynn For Rockets’ James Harden?

When Siakam inked a four-year deal, worth $130 million with the Raptors last year, no one could have expected his name to be involved with trade talks one year later. Pascal’s struggled in trying to duplicate his production of last season where he averaged 22.9 points per game on a 45.3% clip.

Last postseason, those numbers dipped to 17 points a night on 39.6% shooting in 11 playoff games. This season?

Through six games, he’s hovering around the same sort of production (17.6 points, 40.7%) but is it concerning enough, this early, for the Raptors to ship Siakam to Houston in exchange for Harden?

“You look at Pascal and that’s the guy on your roster that makes the most sense,” Windhorst said. “The other challenge is with the way the roster has actually been put together, I think they have seven players that they’re not allowed to trade until February or March. So, it’s not like that difficult to figure out what a Raptors offer would be. I’m sure it would have to be Siakam. I would guess the Rockets want Malachi Flynn and then you’re looking at multiple first-round draft picks into the future, probably lightly protected or unprotected.

“That’s a big bite, especially because you’re looking at that – you trade away Siakam, you’re looking at really depleting your frontcourt, you’re going to be backcourt-heavy, you’re going to need some people back there so it requires other transactions.”

In a trade proposed package that would include Siakam, Flynn, and O.G. Anunoby, the Raptors could essentially match Harden’s $41.2 million salary, however, would it be wise for Toronto to send two vital pieces of its frontcourt for The Beard?

“Siakam is a guy who still has a lot of value because he can play multiple positions,” Windhorst explained. “He defends, he plays both ends of the floor when he’s right – he’s not all the way right, right now, and he’s signed to a long-term contract. You would be trading for a guy you don’t have to worry about but still, I think, Houston would want him and a bunch of other stuff and that’s where you get into difficulties because if you’re a team like the Raptors if you execute a James Harden trade; he’s under contract for two years.

“You have to believe that you’re going to be a championship contender for two years.”

ESPN’s Brian Windhorst: ‘That Team Can Become A Champion Contender, So You Give Yourself Two Years; Two Swings

In the end, it ultimately comes down to what Raptors president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri truly believes. If he pulls the trigger on such a deal; Ujiri’s opinion on a Harden-led Raptors team is crystal-clear.

“That means the team that you have when the dust clears is a championship contender,” Windhorst said. “And you have to believe that you can keep it there and that’s where the question would become will they do something like that if they believe that team can become a champion contender. So, you give yourself two years; two swings at it because then you might have to face a rebuild without limited draft picks and that’s where this gets difficult and that’s why Masai gets paid the money he does; to look at situations like this.

“I know the Raptors have looked at it, I don’t know how serious they are but they’ve definitely looked at it and discussed it with the Rockets.”

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For the Rockets, James Harden did just about everything that could be expected offensively on an NBA court. He scored at the rim, going 6-for-8 shooting in the restricted area. He scored from the 3-point line, making six of his 13 attempts from the arc. He scored at the free-throw line, going 14-for-16 shooting foul shots. With 44 extremely efficient points, his debut for Houston was pretty much an analytics devotees’ dream.

But Portland guard C.J.  McCollum was just as good. He was just 1-for-2 shooting from the line, but he was 9-for-16 from the 3-point arc and 17-for-30 overall, also notching 44 points. With Damian Lillard’s 32 points, that was enough to give the Trail Blazers a big overtime win.

For McCollum, it certainly looked like a statement game. This week, it was reported that Harden, who is looking for a trade out of Houston, expanded the list of teams he’d be willing to join to include Portland, along with Boston—joining a list already made up of Milwaukee, Miami, Philadelphia and Brooklyn.

If a deal with the Blazers were to happen, just about the only way to make it work would be for the Blazers to send away McCollum. He insisted, though, that his scoring barrage on Saturday night was not fueled by rumors of a potential trade to the Rockets.

“Look, I know I’m nice, man,” McCollum told reporters, via The Athletic. “I don’t need to psyche myself out to go against one of the best players in the world. Like, James is really good. Regardless of what James does in his spare time, James is really f****** good at basketball … like, really good. So I don’t need to get extra sleep to go guard a guy that averages 35. You know what I mean?”

James Harden Violated NBA Safety Protocols

By “spare time” McCollum was obviously referring to Harden causing a ripple of COVID-19 issues within the Rockets after allegedly being seen at a strip club. Harden denied that charge, but was fined $50,000 by the league for, “violation of the Health and Safety Protocols.”

Harden’s actions caused the team’s original opener, against Oklahoma City last week, to be postponed. Other Rockets, including center DeMarcus Cousins and John Wall, had to sit out on Saturday because they had contact with Harden and were under quarantine.

NBA players are forbidden from attending indoor gatherings of more than 15 people under the league’s COVID-19 safety rules.

McCollum, Young Blazers Would Make a Sensible Trade Package

Despite shrugging off the notion of giving his performance against the Rockets some extra oomph, McCollum did, earlier in the week, acknowledge that if Harden were to be dealt to Portland, he would be the most likely target. Last year, McCollum signed a four-year, $106 million extension that starts this season, at $29.3 million.

“What am I supposed to think?” McCollum asked after news of Harden’s trade wish list expansion hit. “I play the same position as James. If there is a trade for James, who is going to be in the trade?”

It would be McCollum, of course. A deal starting with McCollum and including promising young players Anfernee Simons and Nassir Little would be acceptable under league rules.

But with the way McCollum looked on Saturday, perhaps the Blazers would think twice before sending him out.

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The Houston Rockets are reportedly close to trading James Harden to the Eastern Conference and a recent report considers the Boston Celtics a favorite to land the 2018 NBA MVP. 

According to ESPN 97.5 Houston’s morning talk show host John Granato, an “impeccable” source told the host of The Bench that the Celtics along with the Toronto Raptors are the two-leading favorites.  

“An impeccable source says the Raptors and the Celtics are the favorite right now for James Harden,” Granato reports. “It’d be a package for Pascal Siakam and more or Jaylen Brown and more.” 

Report: ‘An Impeccable Source Says The Raptors & The Celtics Are The Favorite Right Now For James Harden’

That price tag for Harden sounds just about right. If the Rockets pull the trigger on parting ways with Harden, it’s going to take All-Star-caliber compensation to get a deal done, however, the “and more” part of the report is where things will get tricky in negotiating.

This isn’t the first time the Celtics have been tied to Harden. During the offseason, reports surfaced more than once, and two names that were often embedded into those findings were Brown and Marcus Smart.

Could this be where trade talks fell and will continue to fall through for Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge? Or, is this a false report released by Harden‘s camp to apply pressure to the Raptors to make a move?

James Harden To The Toronto Raptors For Pascal Siakam?

Toronto is an interesting destination for The Beard. Depending on which players would be involved in a proposed deal, of course, the Raptors could ultimately surround Harden with a group of well-balanced scoring.

Fred VanVleet is a reliable scorer alongside Kyle Lowry, OG Anunoby shot over 41% from deep in the postseason last summer, and Norman Powell, who nearly doubled his point average last season (16) from 8.6 points per game, is coming into his own.

With the Brooklyn Nets, led by Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, as the projected favorite to win the East and Giannis Antetokounmpo signed with the Milwaukee Bucks for at least five more years, Raptors president Masai Ujiri could make a move that would wedge Toronto between the two upper-echelon teams in the East. The Celtics, much like the Raptors, must be asking themselves the same questions Ujiri’s proposed to his staff; is he a superstar that can help lead the team to a championship?

Can Jaylen Brown Lead The Boston Celtics To A Championship?

In regard to Brown, can he and Jayson Tatum eventually lead Boston to a title, and is it worth the wait?

Unlike the Celtics, Toronto got a taste of what a Siakam-led Raptors team looks like in the postseason, and it wasn’t pretty. Although the Raptors were essentially one-win away from reaching the Eastern Conference finals in back-to-back years, Pascal wasn’t the same player we saw in the regular season.

Still, due to the Bubble’s unique circumstances, was that a fair audition? As for Boston, we’ve certainly seen Brown rise to the occasion in-season and during the playoffs.

Kemba Walker & James Harden: The Boston Celtics’ Newest Backcourt?

However, this is the first time he’s heading into a season without an All-Star point guard closeby to pick up the pieces. Is Ainge looking at Harden as a potential last-second solution to what he thinks isn’t a champion-caliber team?

Before the Gordon Hayward sign-and-trade with the Charlotte Hornets, Ainge would have had to package Kemba Walker in order to match salaries but now that he has a Traded Player Exception worth over $20 million; that’s not necessarily the case. This fact certainly makes a deal with the Celtics a bit more likely.

Regardless of how people feel about Harden’s antics, style of play, or attitude, bringing him in would undoubtedly unload the pressure weighing down on Kemba Walker’s return. That part isn’t up for debate.

The question mark outside of which other players would be shipped to Houston, of course, is how would Harden, Tatum, and Walker (after his return) mesh together? Is it a championship team?

Ainge, who was reportedly warned to stay away from Harden because of how toxic he was with the Rockets, would be taking the biggest risk of his GM career.

READ NEXT: Brad Stevens On 2021 Celtics’ Progress: ‘We’re Not Even Close’

Houston Rockets’ 2020-21 training camp? James Harden doesn’t have time for that, right now.

“The Beard,” who, just one year ago, made a four-year, $171 million commitment to Houston, is too busy zeroing in on potential trade suitors, for the Rockets. Reluctant to report to training camp, Harden has reportedly extended his list from beyond the Brooklyn Nets – James’ first-choice.

Now, sources tell ESPN’s Tim MacMahon and Adrian Wojnarowski that Harden is open to a trade to the Philadelphia 76ers or possibly other contenders.

Sources Close To James Harden Tell ESPN: ‘He Would Be Agreeable If A Trade With The 76ers Materialized’

“After it was clear there was no traction in talks with the Nets, Harden expressed to the Rockets that he would be agreeable if a trade with the 76ers materialized,” sources told ESPN. “Harden also indicated that other teams could fit his criteria for a preferred destination, a source said.”

However, Philadelphia is adamant about keeping its dynamic duo of Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons intact, which makes a Harden trade between the Rockets and Sixers less likely.

“The Rockets and the Sixers have had no substantive talks about a potential Harden deal,” sources told ESPN. “New Philadelphia president of basketball operations Daryl Morey, the Rockets’ general manager for the previous 13 seasons, has said he has no intention to break up the Sixers’ All-Star duo of center Joel Embiid and guard/forward Ben Simmons.”

Houston Rockets’ Asking Price For James Harden: ‘A Young Franchise Cornerstone And A Bundle Of First-Round Picks’

According to ESPN sources, Harden’s price tag may be too steep for Philly.

“Houston hasn’t wavered in what the Rockets consider a fair asking price for Harden: a package that includes a young franchise cornerstone and a bundle of first-round picks and/or talented players on rookie contracts,” sources told ESPN.

“The Rockets have been adamant that they will not be rushed into trading Harden, regardless of how uncomfortable the situation has become with the three-time scoring champion failing to report to training camp while partying in Atlanta and Las Vegas.”

With the start of the NBA regular season two weeks away, the Rockets don’t have a whole lot of time to move Harden before Opening Night. Harden, who hasn’t indicated any plans of rejoining his teammates, could wind up missing the start of the season if this isn’t resolved within the next week, or so.

Breaking Update: James Harden Shows Up To Houston Rockets Training Camp

ESPN’s Woj reported Tuesday afternoon that Harden is in Houston with the Rockets and tested in accordance with the NBA’s protocol.

Rockets’ new head coach Stephen Silas reacted to the news when he spoke to the media Tuesday.

The Rockets will travel to Chicago to take on the Bulls Friday in their first preseason tuneup. There’s been no word if Harden plans to travel with his teammates.

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The news of Kemba Walker’s left knee injury was an enormous blow for Brad Stevens and the Boston Celtics.

It dropped just weeks before December 23’s Opening Night when the Celtics will embark on a journey that Stevens hopes will extend beyond a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals. However, Walker’s stem cell injection in his left knee means he will be re-evaluated in January, which doesn’t guarantee Kemba will be ready to return to the floor.

The Celtics are hopeful that the injection will reduce discomfort in the knee, thus granting Walker free mobility and extended range – something that the All-Star point guard says plagued his performance throughout last year’s postseason. But what if Walker’s knee doesn’t improve and he’s not the same player we saw throughout the regular season?

Bob Ryan On James Harden Going To Boston: ‘I Hope Not. I Hope Danny Doesn’t Go In That Direction’

Realistically, it would drastically alter the Celtics’ chances of reaching the NBA Finals. Jeff Goodman, host of the Bob Ryan & Jeff Goodman Podcast, suggests Boston take a swing on reeling in top-tier talent, someone who would complement Jayson Tatum and resurrect the Celtics into instant title-contenders.

Goodman says Danny Ainge should think about targeting NBA superstar James Harden. His co-host wasn’t feeling the idea.

“I’ve never been a big fan of his, I respect the talent, obviously but I don’t want him,” Ryan said. “I like the group you’ve built. I’m speaking strictly as a fan here. I like the group we got; I want to try to win with this group. I don’t know what they need – maybe, they helped themselves enough in the draft, I don’t know. We don’t know whether there’s going to be any instant plasma supply of (Aaron) Nesmith or even (Payton) Pritchard. I don’t know but I like what we got and I definitely like picking up Tristan Thompson.

“I hope not. I hope Danny doesn’t go in that direction.”

If Walker doesn’t return to form, it will go down as another devastating blow in what’s become a seemingly never-ending pattern of health issues with the Celtics and marquee players. Isaiah Thomas was an MVP candidate in 2017 when his injured hip gave out in the Eastern Conference Finals, Gordon Hayward was five minutes into his Celtics tenure when his season-ending ankle injury happened in Cleveland and, in the same season, Kyrie Irving’s knee injury in March spelled the end of his season, as well, just weeks before the 2018 NBA playoffs.

Jeff Goodman On 2021 Celtics: ‘They’re Not Going Anywhere Without Kemba’

For Goodman, this is a golden ticket for the Celtics to cash-in on a top-5 player.

“You got the money where you can go after a big-time guy, do you wait and see kind of, what you need?” asked Goodman. “If Kemba isn’t healthy, in my opinion, they’re not going anywhere. They’re not going anywhere without Kemba.”

To which Ryan suggested the Celtics will make the playoffs, at least. Goodman’s reply? He wasn’t sure.

READ NEXT: Celtics’ Brad Stevens Slams Rampant Jayson Tatum-Jaylen Brown Narrative

If there is something that was consistent throughout this roller-coaster NBA season for the Rockets, it is the fact that Mike D’Antoni’s contract is up now that the team’s season is over. And the assumption all along has been that, with D’Antoni failing to agree to an extension last offseason, his tenure with the Rockets would be over when this season ended.

But after Saturday’s loss to the Lakers—the second straight game in which Houston appeared mostly lifeless—D’Antoni did not rule out a return to the Rockets on a new contract. And what’s more, his star player vouched for his return. That was before one final turn of events, however.

Here’s what D’Antoni told reporters on Saturday after Game 5:

We’ve got a great organization, great city, great fans, team’s great. I mean, everything’s good here. So we’ll see what happens, but I couldn’t ask for a better situation, I had for four years. Hopefully it keeps going, but you never know. But everything is good on this side, for sure. …

What stands out mostly is great city to work with, great fans, and players. It was fun. It’s still fun. You always hate to lose. You’re always a little bittersweet, but I couldn’t ask for better people to work with and better players to work with. A lot of things stand out, a lot of little things, but I had a great four years, for sure.

On Sunday, though, D’Antoni removed any doubt about his future–he will be a free agent. He and his wife, Laurel, released a statement to the people of Houston, stating that, “our incredible journey in Houston has ended.”

James Harden: ‘Of Course’ Rockets Want D’Antoni to Return

James Harden wanted D’Anotni back and for good reason. Under D’Antoni, Harden has led the league in scoring three consecutive years, averaging 33.7 points in that span. D’Antoni has emphasized Harden’s unique ability to attack the rim by installing an offense that spreads the floor and relying more heavily on isolation offense than any other coach in the league.

“Of course,” he said. “Mike has done some unbelievable things here.”

Harden went on: “The experience has been great — moving me to point guard primarily, the ball handler and just coming up with different schemes and basically changing the game,” said Harden, who had 30 points and five assists in the Game 5 loss. “It’s been an unbelievable experience. Tough season for us. Obviously, it didn’t end like we wanted it to. We’ve just got to figure it out.”

The one thing he was unable to do, though, is get the Rockets to the NBA Finals. Despite a .682 winning percentage in his four years, D’Antoni’s teams failed to break out of the conference semifinals in three of those four years. They went to the West finals once but blew a 3-2 series lead to the Warriors.

D’Antoni, Rockets Had Bitter Contract Negotiations Last Year

There was significant bitterness between D’Antoni and the organization a year ago, when D’Antoni’s camp and owner Tillman Fertitta could not come to an agreement on a new contract. The Rockets did replace most of D’Antoni’s coaching staff, a rare move for an organization to make.

It was rumored, too, that D’Antoni would be a candidate for the Pacers job if he winds up leaving Houston.

This week, in a sign that maybe the relationship could be repaired, general manager Daryl Morey asserted that bringing D’Antoni back was high on his to-do list.

“It’s probably No. 1. That’s a fair way to put it,” Morey told USA TODAY’s Mark Medina. “We have all our key players signed. I think him coming back is super-important.”

Alas, D’Antoni did not see it that way. He has said he would like to keep coaching, but it won’t be for the Rockets.

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With 6:51 to play in the third quarter of Game 5 in their opening-round NBA playoff series against the Thunder, things could not have been going much better for the Rockets. A halftime lead of 3 points had swelled to 18 points behind a 20-2 run to start the second half, with the team’s shooters collectively finding their strokes and forcing Oklahoma City into poor offensive production in what would be a blowout win.

Then P.J. Tucker set a screen for James Harden on a high pick-and-roll. As Thunder point guard Dennis Schroder attempted to—ahem—fight through the screen, he swung his arm up between Tucker’s legs, essentially delivering an uppercut blow to what, for Tucker, is an especially sensitive region. A foul was called.

Tucker, incensed, went after Schroder, who was hollering at the referee about the foul call and ignoring Tucker even as he loomed behind Schroder. As if to make sure Schroder understood his anger, Tucker leaned in and delivered a head-butt to the back of Schroder’s head. Schroder immediately reacted and the two were separated.

Here’s how the play unfolded:

Suspensions for Tucker & Schroder?

In the end, both Schroder and Tucker were ejected by lead referee James Capers after an extensive discussion and replay session. Schroder was given a flagrant foul-2 on the play and Tucker was given a technical foul with an ejection for committing a so-called “hostile act,” which gives referees a wide berth to determine punishment for players for confrontation with coaches, refs and players.

What remains to be seen is whether either Schroder or Tucker will be suspended for Game 6, an elimination game for OKC, now facing a 3-2 series deficit. Tucker’s deliberate head-butt certainly will warrant scrutiny from the league office.

But when league officials consider whether to suspend Schroder, they will take into consideration that he is a repeat offender on this type of foul. It was a long time ago—November 2013, when Schroder was a rookie in Atlanta—but he committed a near-identical foul on DeMarcus Cousins, who was then playing for the Kings.

No foul was called on that play but after a review from the NBA, Schroder was suspended one game for that play.

There is also the possibility that Schroder was looking at his maneuver against Tucker as a bit of revenge for a knee to the midsection he suffered from James Harden in Game 1. That play can be seen here:

Losing Tucker Would Be a Blow to Rockets

That probably is enough discussion of whacks to the groin for one game. More important will be the impact that suspensions for Tucker and/or Schroder could have.

Tucker is a valuable defensive chip for the Rockets and playing without him would likely mean the Rockets would have to put Danuel House into the starting lineup as the power forward. House struggled in Game 5 (2-for-10 shooting, 7 points) but had played well in the previous four games (16.0 points, 50.0% shooting). Jeff Green would also be an option for the Rockets.

Losing Schroder would take away one advantage the Thunder have been able to pick at over the course of this series—the three-guard lineup of Schroder, Chris Paul and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Of course, it won’t much matter unless the Thunder make some other offensive adjustment from Game 5, in which they shot 31.5% from the field as Houston allowed rookie Lu Dort to shoot almost at will. He did, and made just three of his 16 shot attempts.

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We do not yet know when, exactly, the Rockets will return to the court, but we do knew that the NBA playoffs, after three days off in protest of the killing of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin, will resume over the weekend.

And we know that Russell Westbrook, who has yet to play in Houston’s opening-round series against the Thunder, will be part of that resumption. Westbrook first suffered a quad contusion in the Rockets’ third game of the NBA return, back on August 4, and came back to play a week later against San Antonio. But he suffered a quadriceps contusion in that game and has not played since.

It was likely, the Rockets have said, that Westbrook would have played in Game 5 on Wednesday, had it been held as scheduled, as reported by The Athletic’s Kelly Iko. Now, he will have a few more days to recover.

According to reports, the time off has served Westbrook well. The Rockets held a 5-on-5 scrimmage on Thursday and a source told ESPN that Westbrook was, “explosive as ever.”

Rockets Bench Struggles in Games 3 & 4 Losses

The Rockets certainly could use a boost. After winning the first two games of the series by a combined 28 points, Houston lost Games 3 and 4 and the absence of Westbrook was showing itself. Star guard James Harden has, predictably, carried the offensive load, averaging 32.0 points, but the rest of the lineup has been unpredictable, especially off the bench.

The Rockets got 40 and 32 points, respectively, off the bench in Games 1 and 2, as the combination of Jeff Green, Austin Rivers and Ben McLemore shot 49.1% from the field and 44.7% from the 3-point line. But that dipped to just 40.5% from the field and 34.7% from the arc in Games 3 and 4.

Putting Westbrook into the starting five and moving guard Eric Gordon back to the bench should help alleviate some of the bench’s inconsistencies while bolstering the starters—Gordon, too, is struggling, making only 20.6% of his 3-point tries.

Rockets Have Much Staked on Westbrook’s Return

Speaking on The Rich Eisen Show on Wednesday, before what was supposed to be tipoff of Game 5, Rockets general manager Daryl Morey said that, even without Westbrook, the Rockets should have the ability to beat the Thunder. Houston entered as the No. 4 seed and the Thunder were No. 5.

“I mean, I think we have shown, obviously they’re a very good team,” Morey said. “Credit to Coach (Billy) Donovan and their players, they made the adjustments that were needed after those first two games to really battle us and win two close ones. But I think we’re very evenly matched. We can beat them without Russell but obviously if he’s back, that’s a big positive for us.”

Morey has staked a lot on the Rockets’ performance in these playoffs. It is likely that Mike D’Antoni, who has had tension with both Morey and owner Tillman Fertitta, is heading into his final stretch as the team’s coach. But Morey took a gamble by bringing in Westbrook in a trade in the summer of 2019.

Morey said in June on First Things First on Fox Sports that the Rockets have every reason to expect a championship.

“Basketball pressure wise, yeah, it’s a lot,” Morey said. “Two of the greatest players ever on our team, we should win this thing.”

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There is, obviously, a good deal going on around Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni these days. His team is embroiled in a tied NBA playoff series against the Thunder, having lost Monday’s Game 4. It is unclear when the Rockets might take the floor again for a pivotal Game 5—if at all. With player boycotts postponing the entire slate of Wednesday’s games, including Houston’s, the possibility of canceling the entire remainder of the playoffs is looming.

Add to that mix the uncertainty around D’Antoni’s job. For most of the year, it has been presumed that D’Antoni was in his final season in Houston, having failed to lock up a contract extension as the front office nearly pulled the trigger on firing him last year. Instead, the team fired most of his staff and brought in a new team of assistants.

But there is a glimmer of good news for D’Antoni: Should he be let go by the Rockets, he is expected to be a top candidate for the Pacers’ job. Indiana surprisingly fired coach Nate McMillan following the team’s sweep at the hands of the Heat.

That report came courtesy of ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

D’Antoni Has Been a ‘Lame Duck’ All Season

Earlier this season, D’Antoni shrugged off the notion that being a lame-duck coach would be a detriment for his team, which underwent major changes that began with the trade for guard Russell Westbrook last offseason.

The Rockets got an additional overhaul when they dealt away center Clint Capela at the trade deadline, bringing in Robert Covington and committing to a small-ball style that had Covington—traditionally a small forward—as the starting center.

Through it all, D’Antoni had the support of his players.

“It’s not going to change the way I coach or how I feel trying to compete,” D’Antoni told USA TODAY Sports in December. “So then we’ll see next summer with what happens. … I got a great group of guys that I don’t think care. They won’t be affected by it. I won’t be affected by it. So it’s a non-issue.”

This is D’Antoni’s fourth season in Houston and, at 44-28, it has been his worst season. He had a winning percentage of .703 in his first three seasons and .611 this year. Despite that regular season success, the Rockets have not been to The Finals under D’Antoni and only reached the conference finals once.

Pacers Would Need an Overhaul

D’Antoni would be an odd fit in Indiana, especially coming off a season in which he coached a fast-paced, small-ball style. The Pacers would need a complete revamp of their style to fit D’Antoni’s approach. They have two young 6-11 centers, Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner, who are among the best players on the team. Rookie Goga Bitadze, who is also a 6-11 center, is another promising asset.

The Rockets were No. 2 in the league in pace this season, with an average of 104.04 possessions per 48 minutes. The Pacers were 22^nd, at 99.41 possessions per 48 minutes.

More concerning would be D’Antoni’s commitment to the 3-point shot. The Rockets own the three season with the most 3-point attempts in league history, including 45.38 attempts per game last year. They just missed topping that record this year, trying 45.29 per game.

The Pacers, meanwhile, were last in the league in 3-point attempts this year, taking 28.0 per game.

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Following the decision from the Milwaukee Bucks to boycott Game 5 of their series with the Orlando Magic, two more NBA teams have followed suit.

According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, both the Houston Rockets and Oklahoma City Thunder have elected to boycott Game 5 of their playoff series, as the two teams are currently sitting at 2-2 heading into Wednesday evening’s contest.

The Bucks’ boycott is in protest of the shooting of Kenosha, Wisconsin man Jacob Blake, who was shot several times by police last weekend after he reportedly attempted to help settle an argument.

Buildup to the Boycott

The decision by the Bucks and then by the Rockets and Thunder comes after their was interior discussion by the Milwaukee team to leave the bubble to return back north in response to the shooting.

This included words from Bucks guard George Hill, who expressed his teammates’ and his personal frustration with the shooting of Blake and their inability to do much in their community while in the Orlando bubble.

“We can’t do anything [from Orlando],” Hill said, per Yahoo Sports. “First of all, we shouldn’t have even came to this damn place, to be honest. I think coming here just took all the focal points off what the issues are.”

This eventually led to Milwaukee’s boycott of Game 5, which saw the team refuse to leave the locker room while the Magic took the court for pre-game warmups.

Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook Talk

According to video tweeted out by The Athletic’s Alykhan Bijani, Oklahoma City guard Chris Paul and Houston star Russell Westbrook met shortly after the Bucks’ decision to boycott, which then showed Westbrook and former teammate and Thunder forward Steven Adams leave the arena.

As NBA on TNT’s Stephanie Ready points out, Paul is the president of the NBA Players’ Union and will have a major say in any decision or action that NBA players make regarding boycotting or protesting.

Chris Paul’s Role in the Bubble

Before the plans for the Orlando bubble were set in stone, there was much discussion and varying opinions on whether the NBA season should happen, and whether or not players should sit out the season.

However, the players’ association and the league were able to come to an agreement and got a season underway in Florida, which prompted many, including former teammate J.J. Redick to compliment the guard.

“I don’t think he gets enough credit for us being here,” said New Orleans Pelicans guard JJ Redick. “His leadership has been amazing. I talked to him a couple weeks ago before we came here. … The thing that really stuck with me was how many hours per day for literally months he was on the phone, on Zoom, talking to people representing himself for the players. He absolutely worked his butt off to make this thing happen. Incredible leadership.”

While Paul was an imperative part of getting the season picked backup, he will also play a similarly important role in how the boycotts and decision-making goes from here.

READ NEXT: Bucks Decide to Boycott Game vs. Magic After Jacob Blake Shooting: Report

It is not normal for NBA players to wear another team’s gear, but Houston Rockets All-Star Russell Westbrook had a good reason. Westbrook wore Kobe Bryant’s Lakers jersey while on the bench for the Rockets-Thunder Game 4 matchup as a way to honor the late superstar.

Many NBA players are honoring Bryant on August 24 (8.24) as the unofficial Kobe Bryant holiday, a nod to both of his former jersey numbers. After Bryant’s death, Westbrook was asked about what he learned from the Lakers legend.

“I know if Kobe was here, he’d tell me to go out and compete at the highest level,” Westbrook said, per USA Today. “That’s what I’m going to do each and every night, and make sure I leave it on the floor for him. In his honor, his family, his daughter, and those on the plane, as well.”

Westbrook Continues to Deal With a Quad Injury

The Rockets are hoping Westbrook will be wearing a Houston jersey sooner rather than later but have not released a timeline for when they expect the guard to return. Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni believes Westbrook is “getting closer” to returning.

“Today, he’s doing great and he’s really working hard,” D’Antoni explained, per The Athletic’s Kelly Iko. “Feels like he’s getting closer. He’s living in the training room and putting movement into where he can be 100 percent.”

Westbrook Called Bryant a ‘Friend, Brother, Mentor & Teacher’

After Bryant’s death, Westbrook took to Instagram to post a lengthy message about his relationship with The Black Mamba. Westbrook shared that he realized he wanted to emulate Bryant’s “Mamba Mentality” after playing against him in a pick-up game.

“…I am devastated about the passing of Kobe & Gigi, on every level,” Westbrook said. “I met Kobe when I was 16 at UCLA playing against him in a pick up game. He played like it was the NBA finals. From that point on, I decided that I wanted to emulate his Mamba mentality. At the time, there was no name for it, but I recognized in him what I always felt in myself. He became a friend, a brother, a mentor, a teacher, he defended me, he believed in me, and he taught me how to weather the storm. I can go on and on, but I want to thank you for being my idol, & inspiration. I will pray for you and your family everyday just as I do my own. I love you Kobe. My heart and prayers also go out to the other families involved in last weeks accident. #RIPKobe #RIPGigi”

Westbrook is not the only Rockets player who was inspired by Bryant on and off the court. James Harden admitted to the Houston Chronicle that he “think[s] of him a lot.”

“So, I think of him a lot, man,” Harden noted. “Obviously, we all miss him. He was like a model to me. I looked up to him as a role model when I was younger, growing up in LA. Then, as he got older, on his way out in the league, he became a real mentor outside of basketball, in the business world. That’s kind of where our relationship really grew.”

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Heading into the weekend, thanks in large part to The Athletic’s Shams Charania interview with Pat McAfree, there was chatter of Russell Westbrook making his much-awaited return to the Houston Rockets‘ lineup on Saturday night.

That clearly did not materialize. Instead, Oklahoma City pulled into a game of potentially tying up the series, thanks to 119-107 overtime victory. All while Westbrook missed his seventh game over the team’s last eight contest with a right quad strain.

Now with just a 2-1 lead, could the budding urgency of putting OKC away lead to the former league MVP returning to the court on Monday in time for Game 4? Head coach Mike D’Antonio appears at least open to the possibility.

Westbrook to Play Game 4?

“I don’t know yet,” D’Antoni said to the media of Westbrook’s Game 4 availability following Saturday’s loss. “I’m sure he’s going to test it. He’s working every day, getting a little bit better. So we’ll see. Today, I have no clue. His status didn’t change from start of the game, so we’ll see in a day or two.”

Eric Gordon has replaced Westbrook in Houston’s starting lineup since the start of playoffs. The one-time NBA Sixth Man of the Year’s production has been more than serviceable since taking over, scoring an average of 18 points per game. However, he’s been less than efficient, shooting 33.3% or fewer from the field in two of three games.

On the other hand, Westbrook’s 47.2% field goal percentage during the 2019-20 regular season marked a career-best for the 12-year veteran. His 27.2 ppg on the year also ranked seventh-most in the NBA.

Follow the Heavy on Rockets Facebook page for all the latest stories, rumors and viral content!

Did Paul George Take a Shot at James Harden?

Los Angeles Clipper star, Paul George, has looked all but a star when it comes to shooting the basketball over the past week or so. The six-time All-Star has shot an abysmal 26-of-72 from the field over his last four games. This includes an 18.8% field goal percentage in a victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Friday, which he then followed up with an even more eye-popping interview.

“Like I said, I’m no James Harden, that’s not my knack, to just shoot the ball and score the ball,” George told Clippers beat writer Tomer Azarly. “I can, and I pride myself on being effective on both ends, but it’s gonna be nights like this where I can’t make shots and I can’t allow that to affect my game.”

Azarly was quick to downplay George’s comments, claiming “This wasn’t a shot at Harden, NBA Twitter I asked him how much he prides himself at doing the things other than scoring, and this was his response.”

Whether George’s comments were a shot at Harden are up for debate. However, maybe PG simply hasn’t caught wind that the old mantra of “James Harden doesn’t play defense” is long dead.

Harden finished the 2019-20 season as the league’s leader in both points scored (2,335) and steals (125), becoming only the third player in NBA history to do so. The two others? Michael Jordan and Allen Iverson.

– For More Rockets Content Follow @VinnySomma on Twitter.

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James Harden’s relationship with Chris Paul while the two were Houston Rockets teammates has been well-documented. Harden has taken the high road since Paul was traded, but there was reportedly tension when the guard played in Houston. As Harden prepares to take on the Thunder in the playoffs, the Rockets star denied that anything was “personal” with Paul.

“I don’t ever take anything personal,” Harden noted, per USA Today. “I’m trying to win games, and I’m trying to win a playoff series. I take it one possession at a time, one game at a time. My role on this team is to go out and perform at a high level, but also to be a leader and make sure that guys that are around me all have that same mindset. If I can do that, then I can give us a chance to win, especially with Russell [Westbrook] being out.”

As for Paul, the point guard played coy when asked about how the Thunder planned to guard Harden.

“I don’t know. We got different ideas over here,” Paul told the Daily Thunder. “He has a [unique] way of scoring on a nightly basis.”

Tucker on Paul: ‘He Wants This Bad’

Paul is sure to have extra motivation to win the playoff series against his former team. Rockets big man P.J. Tucker believes Paul “wants this bad” as the Rockets-Thunder square off in the first round.

“I think it’ll be fun. Knowing him, he wants this bad,” Tucker told Sports Talk 790’s Adam Wexler. “I know he wants this bad. It’s going to be an interesting series, It’s going to be fun. I’m looking forward to it for sure.”

The main difference from Paul’s tenure with the Rockets has been the addition of Russell Westbrook. Paul understands just how key the point guard has been to the Rockets’ success but his status for the series remains up in the air.

“We gonna see. Russ has been unbelievable as dynamic as he is,” Paul said, per Daily Thunder. “They got a solid team.”

Westbrook Is Expected to Miss the Start of the Rockets-Thunder Series

The Rockets have not revealed an exact timeline for Westbrook’s injury, but the All-Star is expected to miss the start of the first round. Westbrook is dealing with a strained quadricep but was seen taking shots during a recent Rockets practice.

“These can be a difficult injury, especially for a player like Westbrook who performs with such force,” ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweeted. “Clearly, Westbrook is a unique individual with a proven capacity to play through physical adversity. In Bubble playoffs, less time between games — essentially every other day.”

Westbrook may miss the beginning of the series, but the guard seems intent on playing sooner rather than later. As the playoffs tipped off, Westbrook tweeted out a message.

“LOCKed 🔒 IN!!! See y’all later!!! ✌🏾#whynot,” Westbrook noted.

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Where are all those “James Harden plays no defense” truthers now? With the 2019-20 NBA regular season wrapping up on Friday, the Houston Rockets star has once again added to his laundry list of historical accomplishments.

Follow the Heavy on Rockets Facebook page for all the latest stories, rumors and viral content!

Harden Leads NBA in Points & Steals; Joins Elite Company

Harden has joined the likes of Hall of Famers Michael Jordan and Allen Iverson as the only three players in league history to lead the NBA in total points and steals in a single season. Iverson accomplished this feat back in the 2004-05 season. Jordan, on the other hand, in true M.J. fashion, did so on three separate occasions.

Harden’s 125 steals on the year outpaces injured Philadelphia 76ers’ Ben Simmons by six. Harden’s teammate, Robert Covington, ranked third in the category with 115. Interestingly enough, this wasn’t even Harden’s best year to date in terms of steals. Last season Harden racked up a staggering 158 steals (2nd in NBA).

In less surprising news, Harden has now captured his third consecutive scoring title, after averaging 34.3 points per game (2,335 points scored) on the year. To further drive home Harden’s dominance, the closest player in the NBA in terms of points scored on the season is Portland Trail Blazers’ superstar Damian Lillard, who has scored 357 points fewer than Harden. This, despite the fact that Harden played in just two more game than Lillard on the season.

As Roosh Williams of the Noble & Roosh Show noted on Twitter, Harden has now led the league in points, assists and now steals throughout his storied 11-year NBA career.

This marks the third straight season that the 2019-20 NBA MVP finalist has averaged at least 30.0 ppg. Harden is the decade’s leading scorer, with nearly 19,600 points dating back to January 1, 2010, this despite beginning his career as a sixth-man with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Rockets Ready to Kick Off Playoff Run Without Westbrook

When Harden takes the hardwood for Game 1 against his former team, the Oklahoma City Thunder, he will likely be doing so without his backcourt mate, Russell Westbrook.

While Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni is hopeful Westbrook will return “sooner than later” from his strained quadriceps muscle, he’s not ready to put a timetable on his injured star.

“We just don’t know,” D’Antoni said of Westbrook’s potential availability for the first round of the playoffs, per Houston Chronicles. “He’ll be re-evaluated probably every other day. We’ll see where he is. Time will tell. A little bit like Eric (Gordon,) the ankle will tell; the thigh will tell Russ when he’s ready. I don’t think they have a specific time on it yet.”

Westbrook wrapped up his first season in Houston averaging 27.2 points, 7.9 rebounds and 7.0 assists after being acquired in a blockbuster trade with the Thunder this past offseason.

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The Houston Rockets will see a familiar face when the NBA playoffs begin as they square off with Chris Paul and the Oklahoma City Thunder. Paul admitted the teams “know a lot about each other” as the point guard gave his first public reaction to the upcoming playoff series.

“It’ll be interesting,” Paul admitted to The Athletic’s Erik Horne. “Two teams that know a lot about each other. We’ll prepare, get ready and we’ll see what’s what’s.”

Last offseason, which seems like many years ago, the Rockets traded Paul as part of a deal for Russell Westbrook. The Rockets and Thunder have not squared off since arriving at the NBA bubble in Orlando. The two teams last played this season on January 20 and Paul notched 28 points, eight rebounds and three steals in the Thunder’s 112-107 win over the Rockets.

Harden Denied There Is Tension in His Relationship With Paul

There were plenty of rumors that Paul’s relationship with Harden caused the Rockets to trade the point guard. Harden has denied there was a strain in their relationship.

“Obviously as teammates, as competitors, we argued on the court. … The negative media stuff, it wasn’t true. … Me and Chris had constant communication,” Harden explained to Houston Chronicle’s Brian Smith.

Both players have taken the high road on their relationship, but there were indications prior to last summer’s blockbuster trade that the two stars were not on the best of terms. ESPN’s Tim MacMahon reported in June 2019 that Paul had serious questions about Harden’s game.

“Chris wants to coach James,” says a source familiar with the stars’ dynamic. “James looks at him like, ‘You can’t even beat your man. Just shut up and watch me.'”

According to sources, Paul was also frustrated by what he perceived as Harden’s tendency to ignore unglamorous details that impact winning — such as moving when he gives up the ball to help spacing — and wasn’t shy about expressing those concerns.

Less than a month after MacMahon’s report, the Rockets traded Paul to the Thunder. While Harden downplayed the drama, all indications are the All-Star has a much better relationship with Westbrook, who the Rockets are hoping can return for the playoffs.

Westbrook’s Status Is Up in the Air for the Playoffs

The Rockets are dealing with a bit of a scare as Westbrook is battling a quad injury. Fox 26’s Mark Berman reported the Rockets will rest Westbrook on Friday and re-evaluate his status prior to the start of the playoffs.

“We’ll re-evaluate (quad)in a couple of days,” Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni explained, per Fox 26. “He’s not gonna play Friday-I don’t think he aggravated it. During the game & after the game he was fine.Woke up the next day he was kind of sore. They’re checking it out & making sure it can respond to treatment”

Familiarity aside, the Thunder-Rockets series is also intriguing given the way both teams have played since the NBA restart at Disney. Both teams are playing their best basketball heading into the postseason creating a very difficult matchup for the Rockets.

For the Rockets, a matchup against the Lakers here in the heart of the NBA’s restart in Orlando should be a big deal. Houston has championship aspirations but sits only sixth in the West. The Lakers are tops in the conference, having sealed that position on Monday.

But the Rockets are downplaying the importance of the game and could be without the guy who has been the team’s best player during their stint in Florida—Russell Westbrook, who is listed on the injury report as questionable with a bruised quad for the game against the Lakers.

The Rockets split their two games with the Lakers in the regular season. Westbrook scored 41 points in their last meeting.

“It’s been like that,” Rockets forward P.J. Tucker said in a virtual press conference on Wednesday. “The matchup has been the matchup, we’ve battled every single time we played. There’s no difference. We know if we want to win an NBA championship, we’ve got to go through them and they gotta go through us. It’s one of those things where we just have to be ready to battle.”

Rockets star James Harden, who has scored 1,006 points against the Lakers, second-most against any team in his career, shrugged off the importance of going against L.A.

“Honestly, it’s not about the Lakers or any other team, it’s about us,” Harden said. “Taking these days, these practice days, these games to tighten things up and make sure we are ready to go when it counts. Obviously, the next opponent on our list is the Lakers. We’re going to take it with the same mindset and try to apply that mindset to that game.”

Russell Westbrook Key to Rockets’ Pace

The team’s mindset would take a hit without Westbrook, acquired in a blockbuster trade with the Thunder last summer, on the floor. His speed and aggressiveness have been critical to pushing the team from 27^th in the NBA in pace (98.39 possessions per 48 minutes), to fourth at 103.71.

Westbrook’s individual pace comes in at 107.25 possessions per 48 minutes, according to NBA Stats, the highest among starters in the Western Conference (the quick-paced Bucks have five of the Top 6 players in the league in the category).

Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni said in his Wednesday press conference that maintaining the mindset of playing fast will be critical for Houston, against the Lakers and beyond.

“It’s a mindset and we talk about it a lot,” D’Antoni said. “You choose to do it, you choose not to do it. How important is winning a championship to you? How important it is to have a great playoffs and they decide. If it is that important then they’ll do it.”

D’Antoni: Playing Fast Offsets Lakers Size Edge

D’Antoni sees a similarity between the Lakers and the Rockets’ previous opponent, the Blazers—both teams can play with size. In the loss to Portland on Tuesday, the Rockets allowed themselves to be dragged into a plodding style of play, unable to make the Blazers pay for using slow big men in the middle.

That should be something the team guards itself against this time around against the Lakers as it seeks to improve its seeding. At least, D’Antoni is hoping so.

“Portland is about the same thing (as the Lakers),” D’Antoni said. “The blueprint will be more or less the same, not that we will change a whole lot depending on how we play. They’ve got bigs we gotta run, we’ve got to move the ball, get them into rotations and then we’ll have to gang rebound and all that. … We just kind of went to their pace. It was a mistake and we paid for it. Now, against the Lakers, we won’t make the same mistake again.”

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The Rockets emerged from difficult games to get the NBA restart in Orlando underway with a pair of narrow wins, in overtime against Dallas, and by 4 points over the Bucks, the team with the best record in the NBA. That has Houston within a game-and-a-half of the No. 3 seed in the conference, trailing Denver. More significantly, it has some speculating that the Rockets are a big threat in the West to the presumed Lakers-Clippers conference finals meeting.

That was the sentiment from ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith on Monday. Among other things, Smith said the win over the Bucks put “everybody on notice,” especially the Lakers and Clippers.

Here’s Smith, speaking on First Take:

You win this game because Russell Westbrook, being the stud that he is, is creating opportunities on the perimeter for other dudes. James Harden didn’t even have his greatest game and Houston still ended up winning this game. I think this is a big deal for the Houston Rockets, I think they put everybody on notice. This encounter everybody has been looking forward to all year long, between the Lakers and the Clippers … if Houston ends up running into the Los Angeles Lakers, Houston we might have a problem. In a good way. Because Houston might knock them off.

Rockets’ Win Over Bucks Especially Impressive

The Rockets were a trendy darkhorse pick before the NBA came back after its four-month coronavirus hiatus. Houston has two former MVPs in Harden and Westbrook, though it has been Westbrook carrying the bigger load, even before the league went into suspension. Westbrook scored 31 in each of the Rockets’ two games in the Orlando bubble, and has averaged 32.1 points on 52.4% shooting in his past 24 games. He’s been above 30 points in 17 of those 24 games.

What was more impressive about the Rockets’ win over Milwaukee was that all their weaknesses were well on display and they were still able to topple the league’s best. The Bucks hammered the Rockets in rebounding, 65-39, and dominated in the paint, scoring 60 points to just 20 for Houston. But the Rockets happily launched a league-record-tying 61 3-point tries, making 21, paving the way to the win.

Morey, Coaches Favor Rockets’ Restart Chances

Smith is not the first to see Houston as trouble for the inevitability of a Lakers-Clippers conference final.

General manager Daryl Morey said back in June that the Rockets, “should win this thing.”

And in interviews with Heavy.com, multiple coaches said Houston could be best positioned to pull off a surprise in the league’s restarted format.

That’s because their offense does not require much cohesion, relying more heavily than any other team on isolation plays and star production.

Harden is the NBA’s iso king. He averaged 14.5 isolation possessions per game, first in the league by a long way. No. 2 is Westbrook, who averaged 7.4 iso possessions per game. It’s a drop-off to No. 3, Portland’s Damian Lillard at 4.7 isolation possessions per game.

In fact, the Blazers are the No. 2 team in running isolation plays, and they average 11.2 per game. Harden and Westbrook alone run nearly twice as many.

“Give the ball to James and get out of the way,” one assistant coach said about the Rockets’ offense. “When you don’t have James out there, give it to Russ. There is not a whole lot to drill those guys on. Let James and Russ do their thing and hope your perimeter shooters can make 3s when they’re open. That is a huge advantage coming back into this mix.”

Another head coach agreed. “What is worrying all of us is getting some chemistry back,” the coach said. “If you’re Houston, you don’t have to worry about chemistry or feel or getting back that momentum. They have the same game plan no matter what and they’re going to hit their stride faster.”

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Houston Rockets guard James Harden seems to have borrowed a page from LeBron James’ playoff strategy by deleting his Instagram account. James has a long history of taking a hiatus from social media during the NBA playoffs, but Harden’s decision appears to be a bit more drastic.

Harden’s Instagram disappearing act dates back to earlier this year, not just since he arrived in the NBA bubble in Orlando. Reddit sleuths discovered Harden appeared to deactivate his account back in January. Harden is one of the biggest NBA stars and likely wanted to take a break from the Instagram scrutiny. The Rockets guard still has his Twitter account activated but last tweeted in May.

On the court, Harden is doing just fine without Instagram, as the All-Star has shown no signs of rust since returning to play in Orlando. Harden nearly had 50 points along with a triple-double in the Rockets’ opening matchup against the Mavericks. He finished with 49 points, nine rebounds, eight assists, three steals and three blocks while shooting a blazing 14-of-20 from the field.

LeBron Does Not Plan to Enter ‘Zero Dark Thirty’ Mode During the 2020 NBA Playoffs

As for James, it sounds like the Lakers star will take a reprieve from his typical “zero dark thirty” mode he enters during the NBA playoffs. James cited being away from his family in the Orlando bubble as making social media a bit more necessary in the upcoming postseason.

“LeBron said he won’t turn off his phone during the playoffs this time around,” Sports Illustrated’s Melissa Rohlin tweeted. “He said he needs to check in with his family and mom everyday. …LeBron called his wife “a beast” at holding things down at home & thanked Steve Jobs for FaceTime so he could stay in touch with his family.”

Harden Recently Sounded Off on Social Media

Harden is clearly not a major fan of social media. During a recent GQ interview, Harden discussed how the internet can sometimes spread things that are not true.

“And then social media is worse than TV,” Harden noted. “You have people saying, ‘I saw that on social media. Okay, that must be true.’ Well, it’s not true, just because somebody on TV is saying it. And I’m not going to sit here and argue with him or argue with a fan or argue with anybody else about that. That’s why I told you that I stay in my box.”

Rockets general manager Daryl Morey recently took to Twitter to defend Harden. Fox Sports’ Nick Wright tagged Morey to get his opinion on ESPN analysts Mark Jackson and Stan Van Gundy criticizing Harden during a recent broadcast.

“I wonder what @dmorey was thinking seeing Harden, who’s averaged 35 a game for 2 years now, drop 23 in the 1st quarter, about an hour after JVG & Mark Jackson were saying how he’d improve as an offensive player if he’d just take more midrange twos,” Wright asked.

Morey provided a sarcastic response pointing to Harden’s stellar performance against the Mavericks.

“Harden was definitely struggling out there yesterday – always good to get advice on how to improve your game,” Morey tweeted.

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The Houston Rockets have sniffed the Larry O’Brien Trophy many times over recent years. Unfortunately for James Harden and his fellow Houstonians, they’ve repeatedly fallen just short.

Over the past five seasons, the Rockets have reached at least the Conference Semifinals on four occasions, while booking tickets to the Conference Finals twice over that span.

While impressive, Harden and his fellow teammates are looking for more, namely an NBA Title. On the heels of the team’s first regular-season game since early-March, Harden sounds primed to deliver.

Just take a look at his interaction with reporters on Thursday when asked if he had a message for the fans of Houston.

We’re bringing it back to H-Town. We’ve come up short these last few years, but this is another opportunity for us to fight for it, to get after it again. We got some grinding to do, some work to do. But the goal is to bring it back to H-Town.

Was it an official NBA Title guarantee Harden made in the clip shared above, via USA Today’s Ben DuBose? Maybe not, but it was damn close.

The 8x-All-Star made it clear it’s title or bust for his Rockets this season. Good news for Houston fans, the way Harden’s been performing this season, bringing a championship home to H-Town is certainly not out of the realm of possibility.

Harden Has Been Unreal This Season

The Rockets will have a tall task to live up to Harden’s lofty expectations, a task that just got a bit harder following the injury to his fellow backcourt-mate, Eric Gordon.

Houston currently sits tied for fifth in the Western Conference standings, alongside Harden’s former team, the Oklahoma City Thunder. With that said, their No. 2 ranked scoring offense in the NBA gives them a fighting chance night in and night out. An offense led by one of the greatest scorers in league history, ala Harden.

Currently riding back-to-back scoring championships, and well on his way to his third, Harden has taken his already MVP caliber play to new heights this season.

Aside from once again leading all players in scoring for the 2019-20 season, the Rockets star ranks first in essentially every statistic related to putting the ball in the bucket. No player in the NBA has more total points, field goals made, field goals attempted, 3-PT field goals made, 3-PT field goals attempted, FT-Made, FT-attempted, nor points off of turnover than Harden has this season.

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James Harden is ‘One of the Greatest Scorers of All Time’

Back in December, Harden became the first player in NBA history to record back-to-back 50-point games with more than 10 three-pointers. However, ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins believes that may just be the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the 2018 league MVP.

“James Harden is a Killer. James Harden is arguably, he could be in the conversation as arguably one of the greatest scorers of all time,” Perkins proclaimed during a recent debate on First Take. “We’re talking about a guy that has four 50-point triple-doubles, one 60-point triple-double.”

Perkins took things a step further stating there’s “nothing that James Harden can’t do. And I don’t say this about a lot of people, but James Harden could go out and get an easy 60. How can you say that? Drop an easy 60 ball on somebody.”

Perkins doubled down on his comments following the segment, responding to his original clip on Twitter, as shown below, and it’s hard not to see why with the way league’s top scorer has been playing.

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