James Harden makes preseason debut with Rockets

James Harden, star of the Houston Rockets, unsurprisingly showed a bit of rust during his preseason debut at the Toyota Center Tuesday night. This came just a day after participating in his first team workout.

Harden managed to score 12 points, with four assists, three rebounds, and two steals in 21 minutes while shooting 3-for-10. This performance was during a 112-98 victory over the San Antonio Spurs, providing first-year head coach Stephen Silas with his first look at his full squad’s potential.

“Having a talented player on the field can only benefit us,” Silas stated. “Of course, it requires some adjustment from certain players, but the more talent we have in the NBA, the more games we can potentially win. So, overall, it was a positive experience. It meant a great deal. As for the team’s camaraderie, it appeared to be pretty strong, but you’d have to ask the other guys for their perspectives.”

Silas proceeds, “The intricate aspect involves guys learning how to interact and play collectively. It’s a continuous task and requires us to study a lot of game footage to determine the best team combinations. We have to understand where players need the basketball and ensure everyone is involved in our strategies. This is a challenging task we face. Although we don’t have a lot of time, we must focus on the specifics.”

Silas confessed that his lack of experience with Harden prevented him from determining if the star guard was rusty in his debut exhibition. Furthermore, the coach was unable to assess how near the former MVP is to attaining his regular-season form.

James Harden’s first points of the preseason came on a step-back 3-pointer.

“Clearly, I’ve competed against him numerous times over the years,” stated Silas. “However, I can’t respond to that question. I’m unsure of how close he is. I haven’t spent enough time around him to know the answer.”

Harden arrived at Rockets training camp on Dec. 8, however he couldn’t train with the team until Monday, following six consecutive days of negative COVID-19 tests. Harden was absent from Houston’s initial two exhibition matches against the Chicago Bulls, just like P.J. Tucker and Sterling Brown, who also played their first preseason games against the Spurs.

Silas immediately placed Harden and Tucker in the starting lineup, not wasting any time. Before the game, Silas had stated his plan to give both around 20 minutes of play time, while restricting Brown to roughly 12 minutes.

Harden and Tucker each played for 21 minutes, whereas Brown remained on the floor for 24 minutes.

“Silas spoke highly of Harden, stating, ‘He was good. It’s clear that he’s an exceptional player who can perform a variety of actions both with and without the ball. On defense, his hands are good, he makes plays, and he’s intelligent. So, it was fantastic to have him on the field.'”

Quickly maximizing their short time, Harden and Tucker seized the opportunity. Harden successfully scored a step-back 3-pointer on his initial try of the evening, and managed to draw a foul when he attempted another deep shot during Houston’s subsequent court trip. Harden proceeded to sink all three free throws, thereby increasing his score to six points less than three minutes into the game.

Meanwhile, Tucker successfully made his first corner 3-pointer attempt and ended the night with 8 points, a rebound, and an assist. On the other hand, Brown contributed 2 points, 6 rebounds, and two steals.

“Being out there with the team felt fantastic,” said guard Ben McLemore. “Having a full squad to compete with is always an amazing feeling. We’re all thrilled to have everyone back.”

Despite Harden and Tucker’s minimal playtime, their initial exhibition performances momentarily eased some of the recent turbulence within the organization. Rumor has it that Harden has asked for a trade, while Tucker, who is in his contract’s final year, has openly expressed his discontent about the lack of an extension offer from the team.

John Wall, the new point guard who was traded to Houston for Russell Westbrook and a first-round pick on Dec. 2, played the team’s first two preseason games primarily as the ball handler. Wall acknowledged that Harden’s return did somewhat alter this dynamic, but also expressed optimism regarding the Rockets’ offensive potential for the upcoming season.

Silas highlighted the benefits of having two dynamic ball handlers on the court, stating, “it can be really good.”

In his first game playing with Harden, Wall concluded with 15 points and three assists.

“In the beginning, it was somewhat unfamiliar for me to not have the ball, as I’m so used to it,” expressed Wall. “However, we communicated during the game and on the sidelines. Occasionally, I would run out to receive outlet passes from him if he had the ball, while still allowing him to maintain his aggression. I reassured him that I wasn’t focused on scoring high points like 30 or 40. My role is to act as the point guard, the team leader, to create shooting opportunities for others, and to stay aggressive myself to facilitate the offense. Simultaneously, we are aware of his reputation as James Harden – an exceptional scorer in this league. So, I told him to stick to his game regardless.”

After his debut on Tuesday, Harden wasn’t accessible to the media. Wall mentioned that he isn’t attempting to discourage his new teammate from pursuing a transfer to a different team.

“Before we even became teammates, I was already good friends with James. I never envisioned that we would end up playing on the same team,” says Wall. “Ultimately, James will make decisions based on his best interests, just as the organization will do what’s best for them. So, our major focus when we’re on the court is basketball. I don’t pry into his personal affairs. My main concern is how we can enhance the Rockets while everyone is present and progress from there.”

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Michael C. Wright is a senior writer for NBA.com. You can e-mail him here, find his archive here and follow him on Twitter.

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