James Harden makes preseason debut with Rockets

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

In a 112-98 victory over the San Antonio Spurs, first-year head coach Stephen Silas finally got a first look at his full squad. Harden contributed 12 points, shooting 3-for-10 in 21 minutes. He also provided four assists, three rebounds, and two steals.

“Having a talented player on the floor is always beneficial,” Silas stated. “You’ll have to get the others’ perspective, but it seemed as though the team spirit was quite high. It might require some adjustment for some, but in the NBA, more talent equates to more victories. So, it was a positive experience,” he added. “It really meant a lot.”

“Getting into the details,” Silas continues, “involves teaching the guys how they can effectively play together. It’s a work in progress and we’ll need to watch a lot of film to fully understand the best team combinations, decide where each player is most effective, and ensure everyone is involved in our strategies. This is a challenging task that we don’t have much time for, but we have to focus on the finer details.”

Silas confessed that his lack of experience with Harden made it difficult for him to judge whether the star guard was out of shape in his exhibition debut. Furthermore, the coach was unable to determine how near the past MVP is to reaching his regular-season form.

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

“Clearly, I’ve competed with him numerous times over the years,” said Silas. “However, I can’t respond to that question. I’m uncertain about how close he is. I haven’t spent enough time with him to know the answer.”

Harden attended the Rockets training camp on Dec. 8, but only received clearance to practice with the team on Monday, following six consecutive days of negative COVID-19 tests. Harden sat out the first two exhibition games against the Chicago Bulls, a situation mirrored by P.J. Tucker and Sterling Brown, who also made their first preseason appearances against the Spurs.

Nevertheless, Silas promptly placed Harden and Tucker in the starting lineup. Before the game, Silas had initially indicated that he intended to play both for around 20 minutes, while restricting Brown to roughly 12 minutes of play.

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

“Speaking of Harden, Silas commented, “He was impressive. Undeniably, he’s an exceptional player, capable of doing a multitude of things on and off the ball. He’s a strong defensive player with good hands, making plays, and showcasing intelligence. Therefore, having him on the field was fantastic.”

Harden and Tucker wasted no time in making the most of their short stint. Harden succeeded in hitting a step-back 3-pointer on his first shot of the night and managed to draw a foul while taking another long-range shot during Houston’s subsequent court run. Harden successfully scored all three free throws, pushing his total to six points in less than three minutes into the game.

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

“Being out there with the guys once more felt fantastic,” said guard Ben McLemore. “Having a complete team and your guys to compete with is always wonderful. We’re all thrilled to have everyone back.”

Despite Harden and Tucker having limited playtime, their first exhibition games brought temporary relief to the organization’s recent turmoil. Harden is rumored to have asked for a trade, while Tucker, who is in the last year of his contract, has voiced his dissatisfaction about not receiving an offer for a contract extension.

John Wall, the new point guard who was traded to Houston for Russell Westbrook and a first-round pick on Dec. 2, managed the ball for most of the team’s first two preseason games. He acknowledged that Harden’s return changed the dynamics a bit but was also hopeful about the Rockets’ potential offensive performance this season.

Silas noted, “having two dynamic ballhandlers on the floor can be really beneficial.”

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

“Initially, it felt a bit unusual for me because I’m typically the one handling the ball,” admitted Wall. “However, we communicated consistently during the game and off-court. Sometimes, if he had possession, I’d position myself to receive outlet passes from him yet still allow him to maintain his aggression. I reassured him that I’m not fixated on scoring 30 or 40 points. My role is to be the point guard, the on-court leader, to set up shots for the team, and to be assertive when necessary to create opportunities for our offense. Simultaneously, we acknowledge Harden’s reputation as an elite scorer in the league. Thus, I encouraged him to play his game without any reservations.”

After Tuesday’s debut, Harden was not made available to the media. Wall stated that he isn’t attempting to discourage his new teammate from his efforts to transition to a new team.

“Before we even became teammates, I was cool with James. I never envisioned us ending up on the same team,” Wall stated. “At the end of the day, he’ll make decisions that are best for him, just as the organization will make the best decisions for itself. So, when we’re on the court, our focus is purely on basketball. I don’t probe into his personal business. My concern is what we can do to enhance the Rockets team while everyone is here and how we can progress from that.”

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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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