Harden confident he can re-enter MVP conversation

SHANGHAI — When James Harden said in 2015 he considered himself to be the NBA’s best player, he followed that up by finishing second in the MVP voting and winning the players’ vote. When told on Saturday in Shanghai that he is expected to contend for the MVP again, he was as certain he could return to that echelon.

“Very, very, very confident, and I’m confident because I work hard,” Harden said. “As long as I continue to do the right things and lead this team to higher standards and winning, all that will come. I’m just excited to go on the journey with these guys for an entire season with the mindset that we have right now and the work ethic we have and the coaching staff.”

Asked about Harden’s play so far, Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni said, “The best. He’s playing really well.”

With five days between preseason games because of the trip to Shanghai, Harden said the immediate goal is to continue the progress shown in routs of the Shanghai Sharks and New York Knicks.

“Continue to do what we did this entire preseason, play together, communicate, defensively be on a string, defensive rebound and offensively, share the ball,” Harden said. “We have so many playmakers and shooters that shots will come easy for us. We have to defend.”

Yao, Mutombo reunite at event

The Rockets’ final practice in Shanghai on Saturday was followed by an NBA Cares Event with Special Olympians, an event that also brought former Rockets centers Yao Ming and Dikembe Mutombo together again.

“I’m excited to come here to see Yao, the Rockets and many old friends,” Mutombo said. “Yao is my former teammate, one of my best friends. I had played for the Rockets for a couple of years and had many memories there. All of us are here, like family reunion.”

After the event, Mutombo and Yao held an impromptu free-throw shooting contest, which would have felt like old times except that Mutombo won.

Rockets rookie Chinanu Onuaku joined them, just because he wanted a chance to be with legends. Mutombo’s NBA career began five years before the 19-year-old Onuaku was born.

“It is unreal,” Onuaku said. “They are Hall of Famers. I’m star-struck. I just came over to watch. They are the only two that ever made me feel small, especially Yao.”

Defense in need of catching up

Although the Rockets won their first two preseason games with routs, coach Mike D’Antoni said the offense had been predictably ahead of the defense. He would like the defense to begin catching up.

“What we do well? The offense,” D’Antoni said. “Hopefully, the defense is good, too. To win, you have to do both well.

“We’re going to play the type of offense we play, and we’re going to be really good at it. We have to be good defensively if we think we’re going to win very big, and we will be. Our offense will be really good.”