When the LA Clippers were at their worst, 6-21 by mid-December, panic mode was on for everyone, especially James Harden, who had never missed the playoffs in his career. As a result, according to Ramona Shelburne and Tim MacMahon of ESPN, Harden’s party reached out to the Houston Rockets, a team aiming to contend, for trade purposes. Instead of progressing towards a reunion, Houston declined.
Fast forward to the postseason, and the Rockets lost in six games to the Los Angeles Lakers. A major reason for the exit was the glaring point guard issues, something Harden could’ve solved in the blink of an eye, which creates a ton of regret within Houston’s entire organization.
Had the Rockets taken what was in front of them and given the fans what they wanted, things right now could’ve been a lot different. But, they didn’t, and are currently visiting Cancun.
The Rockets lost because they didn’t have someone like James Harden
When looking at why the Houston Rockets initially went down 0-3 to the Los Angeles Lakers, they proceeded to lose in six games. The primary reasoning is obvious: there was no legitimate point guard to lead on and off the court.
Funny enough, that’s exactly who James Harden is. On top of having the kind of impact that can keep an entire locker room hungry to win, Harden can consistently provide a 20-point, 10-assist double-double. In fact, he’s the king of doing so.
However, the Rockets didn’t want Harden and were content with Reed Sheppard. Long story short, he was disappointing, as, in games one through five, Sheppard averaged 12.6 points, 5.4 assists, and 2.2 turnovers, shooting 33.3% from the field and 34.1% from beyond the arc.
That looks bad, right? Well, it gets worse. In game six, where Houston lost by 20, Sheppard posted an atrocious 10 points and 1 assist on 4-19 shooting, including 1-10 from three-point range.
That’s about as bad a night as one can have with the season on the line.
With Harden, though, there is significantly more offensive production from the jump, and in the process, guys like Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson instantly have their floors raised.
That said, in the offseason, the Rockets can sit and reflect on their decision to pass on a reunion with Harden. It was a mistake to say the least, and something they will regret for years to come.
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