How the hell can CJ play with a broken back but Russ can't play with a strained quad muscle???? This don't make no sense lol
More like Covid 19 caused his injury. He couldn't join the team in time because of Covid and was thrown into high level basketball cold. We played some pretty intense games against Bucks and Mavs.
Went to WCF then barely in playoffs following season. Is this your definition of a great franchise with great FO? Sounds like definition of inconsistency and low expectations to me.
There's only a few players in entire league that can score like dame, and he does it in big games and moments. Like james, you can argue he has never had enough help to get over the hump.
You know they were injured though....and even now still don't have rodney hood and ariza. They are probably top 4 if healthy all year
i think hes the X factor. He’s been a huge disappointment the last couple yrs. with Russ out if EG doesn’t step up we very well could go out in the first round to a hungry, chippy OKC team. Harden can’t do it all on his own.
No. This is good news. Westbrook hasn't been out of the first round since Trump was President. Rockets will play better without him. Harden knows what to do.
Rodney Hood and Ariza??? Rockets had no Capela for most of this season, EGo in and out of line up and Russ unable to play back 2 backs. And still Harden was 2-4 games out of 2nd seed THIS season. The Rockets know all about injuries. 2018-2019 CP3 (our 2nd star) was out almost the entire first half of season, was still not 100% when he came back. 3 of the 5 starters plus EGo went down for long periods of time as well. Harden still strapped team made up up of back ups and G Leaguers and went on a historic scoring run pulling the Rockets from outside the 8th seed to fighting for the 2nd seed in the last days of regular season. Led NBA in scoring averaging 36 points again. MVP runner up, again. 2017-2018 CP3 was dinged up beginning of the season after traded to Rockets, Harden carried team until CP3 returned and relatively healthy team until end of season when Luc, Nene, CP3 went down culminating in 7 game WCF. Even injured, short handed and suspicious ref behavior, the Rockets were not SWEPT like POR was by a lesser GSW. Oh yeah, Harden led NBA in scoring, finally won MVP. 2016-2017 Harden had ZERO number two as Dwight signed with another team. New coach, new system, new position, Harden still averaged 29 and LED NBA IN ASSISTS. And still made the playoffs. Less than 2 rebounds from averaging trip dub, 2nd best team in NBA but lost MVP to Russ. 2015-2016 Harden and oft injured Dwight made playoffs. 2014-2015 Harden led Rockets lost to 67 win GSW in WCF. Dwight got injured in that series - early. 2013-2014 - Harden took Rockets to playoffs. 2012-2013 Harden 1st year in Houston, first year being the man on his team. Took Rockets to playoffs. EVERY YEAR HARDEN HAS BEEN A ROCKET HE HAS CARRIED THIS FRANCHISE ON HIS BACK TO THE POSTSEASON AND MORE. Only Hakeem has been to more WCF than Harden, winning 2 of 4 (and 2 championships). It took Hakeem a decade to win his first ring. In his first decade with the Rockets he went to 2 Finals, winning 1 ring and 1 MVP. Harden has been with the Rockets for 8 seasons. He has an MVPand every team he has led has been to the playoffs. The ingratitude and impatience from our fans can be maddening. I vaguely remember the losing years before Hakeem, was still a bit too young to remember Moses taking Rockets to Finals in 1981 but I vividly recall what it was like during AND after the Dream era. Now those were miserable years with glimpses of hope between long dry stretches. All the young bitter fans who gnash their teeth at this team should study this team's legacy and understand that the Rockets had 14 different coaches in their storied history and you can count the very best coaches on one hand. Rudy Tomjanovich Del Harris Bill Fitch Mike D'Antoni Kevin McHale And I would add Adelman over McHale as a personal preference but the 1 thing these 5 had in common was winning enough and taking the Rockets to a Finals. Only Del, Rudy and Mike could boast a NBA MVP. Only Rudy can boast a championship. Two to be exact. This is not a shot against you @icewill36 but like Giannis I just felt like head butting someone due to all the negativity towards the Rockets. Moses Malone, Hakeem Olajuwon and James Harden are once in a generation players. Cherish them because when they are gone there is no guarantee that we will ever get another one.
Rockets got in without a play in, and there are rumors galore, from former and current players, that teams tanked vs. POR so Lakers would have to play Blazers. No one ever tanked so Rockets can get in the playoffs.
Those teams that tanked probably were told to scare the shet out of the Blazers too....while they were tanking. And someone bribed the Memphis Grizzlies to lose those games so that their journey becomes a tougher one, probably told Jaren Jackson to injure himself too. We live in a world where rumors are true. Amen.
