James Harden had his first practice yesterday and followed it up with his first game tonight. Harden looked like he didn’t miss a step on the court at all. People wanted to see how he would mesh with Wall and Cousins all offseason. Well, tonight we got the chance to see that as James Harden was able to play off the ball a lot but still was able to make an impact in the passing game. Harden didn’t really look for his shot tonight as much even though he finished the game with 12 points on 3/10 shooting. James Harden came right in and did everything that you expected a true professional would do. He was very vocal with his teammates and he was also able to cook people with the ISO/Stepback jumpers. The leadership was there for James Harden and he showed that if this squad is healthy while being committed this team can be scary. Harden played like he was in midseason form tonight against the Spurs as they had no answer for him inside or out. Overall for James Harden, this was a great outing and it showed that he still is locked in no matter the situation and he will adjust to his surroundings. The John Wall to James Harden connection looked really good especially on a couple of plays where Wall was able to suck the defense in so James would be wide open. This could be a special connection if both lock-in and continue to push each other.
Speaking of John Wall he was able to put on another show tonight but this time in front of the Houston media. Wall was able to put up 15 points with 3 assists on the night. The stats are cool and all but the one thing that stood out was the quickness. John Wall looks like he never lost his first step or his ability to actually get to the rim with ease. John Wall looks very good out there and he’s improved on his jumper as well over the offseason. It looks like Wall is locked in and he’s ready to prove to people that he still has what it takes to be the best point guard in the NBA. Tonight the Spurs were trying to stop John Wall and it didn’t go as planned. The Spurs had Murray on him and also Mills which definitely didn’t slow Wall down. It looks like he’s back and the only thing that can stop him is himself with his health because he’s got that fire back.
John Wall’s running mate from college DeMarcus Cousins had his best rebounding game as a Rocket as he finished with 11 rebounds on the night. It was good to see Cousins, Wall, and Harden on the floor together as Cousins was able to flourish in his role. We saw a little bit of everything from Boogie from a full-court steal and dish all the way to hitting 3 pointers. Cousins was able to create more space for Harden and Wall because the bigs had to get out to the 3 point line to respect his jumper. It was great to see Cousins playing at a high level as he was in there banging bodies with LaMarcus Aldridge. This Rockets team will be a great sight to see all season and if everyone is committed it will be epic. The Rockets might have taken a hit as Chris Clemons was hurt on a non-contact play and we will be hoping/praying for the best.
The San Antonio Spurs were playing like it was the preseason as the game went on tonight. The game was tight until the 2nd half as the Spurs were able to sit their starters for the remainder of the game. One of the bright spots for the Spurs tonight was Lonnie Walker IV as he was able to score 17 points in 26 minutes against the Rockets. Walker has shown a lot of promise and he’s trying to make a big jump this season. The other bright star that everyone in SA should be excited about is Dejounte Murray as he was able to finish with 13 points, 7 assists, and 5 rebounds. This Spurs team will always be a near contender because of the coaching of Pop and with the veterans DeRozan and Aldridge. The Rockets will be playing the Spurs again on Thursday so we will see if the starters for the Spurs play a lot more minutes.
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