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[Closure] Team Chemistry & the Harden-Howard Rockets

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by kennysmith, Jan 31, 2026 at 11:36 PM.

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  1. kennysmith

    kennysmith Member

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    an anonymous message from the rockets grief hotline (adhd patients are advised to skip to the tldr):

    Three-quarters score years ago, I remember feeling jubilant disbelief when we landed Dwight in the post-Yao years. Scola held the title of Houston's best big man & I was proud of his unexpected 20/10 season(s). But then we landed the league's most dominant big man. To pair with league's highest-celing guard. It seemed like a match made in heaven, backed by Moreyball wisdom. Clyde & Hakeem 2.0, albeit with a better Clyde and a lesser Hakeem. A lower ceiling T-Mac and Yao, but a healthier version. At least a trip to the finals felt probable.

    But chemistry wasn't in the front office nerds' formulas. Mystery it was. The stories painted James as the diva, especially with all of the limelight the affable Dwight received. I can count on one hand the # of times i've seen James smile. When he does, it's an automatic meme. Dwight, on the other hand, is always gleaming, even when bricking free throws.

    Both James and Dwight have their fair share of rumors about their personal lives outside of basketball but was hard to conceptualize how those things could intersect. Until last year, when i watched...

    tldr; Von Wafer's interview [0 spoilers in the youtube comments]

    if you or a loved one are dealing with Rockets grief, support resources are available
     
    #1 kennysmith, Jan 31, 2026 at 11:36 PM
    Last edited: Jan 31, 2026 at 11:43 PM
  2. clos4life

    clos4life Member

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    Can I get a TLDW of the interview?
     
    #2 clos4life, Feb 1, 2026 at 7:40 AM
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  3. RB713

    RB713 Member

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    Harden use to take his own ride and not ride the team bus. Also his own plane for trips and back to the city. He lived the Rodman life.
     
    #3 RB713, Feb 1, 2026 at 7:42 AM
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  4. kennysmith

    kennysmith Member

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    An unnamed superstar teammate showed up at Von Wafer's hotel room & bought an all-male adult film. The next day, Wafer told his teammates about the events, thinking it was a joke, learned it wasn't a joke. Time and location of his last NBA season is interesting.
     
    #4 kennysmith, Feb 1, 2026 at 5:25 PM
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  5. kennysmith

    kennysmith Member

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    Did he do the same in OKC?
     
    #5 kennysmith, Feb 1, 2026 at 5:27 PM
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  6. RB713

    RB713 Member

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    nah from the girls I knew who know him. Houston changed him.

    he loves the h more than anything. I think he retires here
     
    #6 RB713, Feb 1, 2026 at 6:35 PM
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  7. clos4life

    clos4life Member

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    Thank you, I really appreciate it.
     
    #7 clos4life, Feb 1, 2026 at 6:36 PM
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  8. Shroopy2

    Shroopy2 Member

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    Seems when the team chemistry affects Harden, or Harden takes issue with something, everything goes down with him. (Dwight, CP3, Kyrie, Daryl Morey, CP3 again, etc). He needs a specific accommodating environmnent
    Harden's about 4 things -Hoops, Hoes, High, H-Town

    That's it. And somehow has never played on a losing team
     
    #8 Shroopy2, Feb 1, 2026 at 8:46 PM
  9. Codman

    Codman Member

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    That last season with Dwight and James was epic.

    So many players tried to help them work things out, but James and Dwight had personal beef that had nothing to do with the game. (Although, Harden was tired of giving Dwight post-ups from Alpi territory and knowing that Dwight was playing outside of his strengths.)

    The locker room (from what T.A and J.T said/while laughing) was like the bloods and crips. There was team Dwight and team James...the divisive nature of the team spilled over in the court, and you could just see it/heart it in terms of lack of communication, accountability and playing roles.

    I know James is viewed as a diva, and in some cases he is. But, he literally had to remove himself from Dwight's presence until game time. The personal attacks and the criticism of each other's flaws without affirmation or support made the team impossible to coach.

    Either way, James had great numbers that season, even though the team was a mess and hobbling into a first round exit.

    I didn't watch the video, but I know with certainty that James and Dwight's relationship was irreparable.
     
    #9 Codman, Feb 1, 2026 at 10:51 PM
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  10. daywalker02

    daywalker02 Member

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    [​IMG]
     
    #10 daywalker02, Feb 1, 2026 at 10:57 PM
  11. kennysmith

    kennysmith Member

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    I could imagine James altering his travel routine if he got Von Wafer'd
     
    #11 kennysmith, Feb 1, 2026 at 11:40 PM
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  12. kennysmith

    kennysmith Member

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    Video is stranger than fiction, provides a theory on why their relationship soured irreparably
     
    #12 kennysmith, Feb 1, 2026 at 11:47 PM
  13. kennysmith

    kennysmith Member

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    link broken will repost
     
    #13 kennysmith, Feb 2, 2026 at 5:35 AM
  14. ROXTXIA

    ROXTXIA Member

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    I wish I could find a gif but will never forget Dwight Howard trying to clown with Harden courtside, a bear hug from behind, and an annoyed Harden with a "get-off-me, b****" shrug, never looking DH in the eye.
     
    #14 ROXTXIA, Feb 2, 2026 at 11:29 AM
  15. kennysmith

    kennysmith Member

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    https://i.gifer.com/JtSO.gif
     
    #15 kennysmith, Feb 2, 2026 at 1:52 PM
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  16. RB713

    RB713 Member

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    harden and Terrence jones were the dirtbags of the team lol. Game ends at 9:15. At the bar by 9:45 with a travel day the next day.
     
    #16 RB713, Feb 2, 2026 at 2:15 PM
  17. TDRox

    TDRox Member

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    #17 TDRox, Feb 2, 2026 at 2:32 PM
  18. LosPollosHermanos

    LosPollosHermanos Clutch Crew
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    And we only managed to come back against the clips with 1 dude on the bench

    best thing Milkhair ever did
     
    #18 LosPollosHermanos, Feb 2, 2026 at 3:15 PM
  19. amaru

    amaru Member

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    TBF some of that could have been Harden trying to see his son that we recently found out about.
     
    #19 amaru, Feb 2, 2026 at 3:38 PM
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  20. Patience

    Patience Member

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    I’m sure there were chemistry issues and Harden was partly to blame, but Dwight was super frustrating the last season he was here. He insisted on posting up, even though he was terrible at it (how many turnovers came from just trying to get him the ball?).

    If Dwight could’ve just played more like Capela, it could’ve worked, but he wasn’t willing to do that.
     
    #20 Patience, Feb 2, 2026 at 3:42 PM
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