James Harden tells Rockets fans: ‘We’re bringing it back to H-Town’

“We’ve come up short these last few years,” Harden said. “This is another opportunity for us to fight for it, and get after it again.”

Entering the NBA’s restart of the idled 2019-20 season, Houston (40-24) is tied for the No. 5 spot in the Western Conference. But led by an All-Star backcourt of recent league MVPs James Harden and Russell Westbrook, the Rockets believe they’re capable of much more.

They rank No. 2 in offensive rating on the season, but just No. 16 on defense. But with more attention to detail — and now, a second training camp to integrate newly acquired players and a longer period to adapt to the small-ball scheme — they believe they’re capable of winning it all.

The Rockets have shown greatness in flashes, most recently with a 10-2 stretch from late January until early March that coincided with their downsizing. Those 10 wins included statements against the likes of the Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics (twice), and Utah Jazz.

Other than a left ankle injury to guard Eric Gordon, the Rockets are now rested, healthy, and confident entering Friday’s first regular-season game from the NBA “bubble” versus Southwest Division rival Dallas.

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On the eve of an all-Texas showdown, Harden was asked by reporters if he had a message for the team’s fan base. He responded:

We’re bringing it back to H-Town. We’ve come up short these last few years, but this is another opportunity for us to fight for it, to get after it again. We got some grinding to do, some work to do. But the goal is to bring it back to H-Town.

It wasn’t literally a championship guarantee, but the intent was evident in the firm and resolute tone of Harden’s voice.

Over his eight seasons to date in Houston, Harden has earned All-Star honors in all of them while leading his Rockets to the playoffs. The future Hall of Famer was the NBA’s 2017-18 MVP and a three-time MVP runner-up, and he appears poised for another top-three MVP finish this season.

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Even with the gaudy numbers since 2012, “The Beard” and the Rockets are still searching for their first NBA title of this era. Now 30 years old, Harden believes the secluded Disney World bubble environment — without fans — could lead to even more focus on the ultimate goal.

“The concentration level is going to be higher,” said Harden, who is leading the NBA in scoring for a third consecutive season (at 34.4 points per game). “You’re limited in distractions. At this point, it’s just whoever who can bring that focus together as one unit. Hopefully that’s us.”

The Rockets have had an elite offense all season, though they’ve stressed increased pace and ball movement since reporting to Florida.

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But to get where they want to go, they know that improving their defense above its previously mediocre level is imperative. “Transition defense and rebounding is going to be key for us,” Harden said before Thursday’s practice. “We have to focus on that at a high level.”

The only team that ranks ahead of Houston in offense is Dallas. Fittingly, that’s who Houston will play in Friday’s opening game of the restart, and it will provide an early test of their defensive growth.

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“Shooting,” Harden said when asked about the Mavericks’ strengths. “They have one of the best offenses in the league. Our defense is going to have to be engaged every possession. Make sure our talking is where it needs to be, and rebound the basketball.”

With a win, the Rockets would have a 2.5-game lead on the Mavericks for the Southwest Division title and in the race for Western Conference playoff seeding, with only seven contests left to play. With a loss, their advantage would shrink to a half-game. For Harden and the Rockets, though, they’re keeping their eyes on the big picture.

“Tomorrow is the start of us building something great,” Harden said.

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