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It’s probably to be expected, but superstar guard James Harden is picking his Houston Rockets to win the 2020 NBA title.
In an exclusive interview with ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, Harden replied affirmatively when asked whether the Rockets will win the championship this season.
Correct. Let’s get it.
Smith and Harden spoke at Toyota Center on Wednesday prior to a nationally televised game between the Rockets and Los Angeles Clippers — viewed by many as Houston’s top competition in the Western Conference. Both teams entered the matchup of perceived title contenders at 7-3 on the young 2019-20 season.
James Harden tells Stephen A. Smith the Rockets are going to win the 2020 NBA Championship 🏆 pic.twitter.com/CBfZDRxtZb
— ESPN (@espn) November 14, 2019
In particular, Harden said he took pride in the Rockets being somewhat of an afterthought during the recent NBA offseason when compared to the Clippers and Los Angeles Lakers.
Also in the interview, Harden discussed his integration with Russell Westbrook in Houston — including benefits on and off the court, and why the 30-year-old hasn’t really made any adjustments just yet.
“He (Russell) brings a new dynamic. Something that I haven’t had since I was in OKC. Off the court, it’s just different. He brings that energy and friendship on the court that makes it easy.”
— Alykhan Bijani (@Rockets_Insider) November 14, 2019
To start the season, Harden is averaging a career-high 37.3 points in 35.7 minutes, along with 8.3 assists and 5.4 rebounds per game.
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