A star without a ceiling
D’Antoni believes Harden could average ‘close to 40’ in carrying typical scoring load
Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni would seem to have seen similar scenes play out too often to be impressed now. Besides, the Rockets’ aspirations are considerably grander than outscoring some of the Miami Heat in a preseason game.
Then again, even Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, who had guided LeBron James and Dwyane Wade no less to championships, could not help but marvel at the show James Harden put on in his final regular season tune-up.
“There are many situations where he makes a good defense look poor,” Spoelstra said. “When he has that kind of range, stepping back into open spaces, gets you leaning and makes you draw fouls, he is basically getting everything.
“He was able to work different layers of our defense. We were throwing traps and trying to get the ball out of his hands. He has seen every coverage and already knows what’s happening before it happens and has a counter for virtually everything. That’s why he is an MVP.”
For D’Antoni, watching Harden take over a largely meaningless game as he did on Friday (44 points in 35 minutes) meant more than a reminder of last season’s offensive masterwork. Harden let him know that the Rockets’ most irreplaceable player and irresistible force was ready to take on the load he typically carries.
“We can win games this way,” D’Antoni said. “It’s just the way he is. He’ll do what it takes to win. Here’s a guy, he didn’t have to play. It’s preseason. He doesn’t have to start the season like this. But you know he wants to. He has that edge. He’s got that gene. Whenever he plays, he’s going to give us a chance. Whenever he plays, games or practice, he’s all business.
“He loves to play. He’s going to play. I don’t know if you can tone that down. I wouldn’t want to, anyway. It’s like, he didn’t have to do that. Well, that’s how he plays.
Every year he gets better. Every year his scoring average goes up. If that continues, he’ll get up to close to 40. It’s what he does.”
Harden’s 173 preseason minutes led the NBA, as did his 31.2 points per game. Judging from the way Harden began and completed the preseason, he seemed to need the work to be ready for what appears to be necessary when the games count.
“It was great,” Harden said. “Preseason is over with. Now it’s onto the real thing. It’s going to be a long season of trying to communicate and be on the same page. Not only just me and Russ (Westbrook) but our entire team. This preseason was a good test for us. Now we’re onto the real challenge.”
The Rockets’ preseason had been broken up by travel and recovery time. Including Saturday, there are two more off days scheduled. Though D’Antoni typically turned fourth quarters over to young players trying to carve out minutes or roster spots, by the time the Rockets were back in this hemisphere, he wanted to let his regulars get closer to their expected playing time to prepare for the regular season. Harden especially seems to have grown stronger.
“It definitely helps him,” D’Antoni said. “They all needed it.
We’re a veteran team. We went to Japan and took a lot of days off. So, when we do get something like (Friday’s game), they got to go a little extra. You can’t just go a little bit and then practice hard. They’d rather play than practice hard. That’s how veterans are. We’ll be ready Thursday.”
After scoring 40 points in 34 minutes against the Spurs and 44 in 35 minutes against the Heat, Harden looked much as he did last season when he cranked things up to take the Rockets out of their slow start.
Harden averaged 30.6 points through the first 20 games last season as the Rockets stumbled to 10-10. The rest of the season, he averaged 38.1 with the Rockets going 41-17.
With Thursday’s season opener against the Milwaukee Bucks less than a week away and with just three practices remaining to iron out remaining rough spots, even a pair of preseason games, with stars DeMar DeRozan of the Spurs and Jimmy Butler of the Heat sitting out, offered a reminder of how a sublime star can be much more than an equalizer.
“That’s the way he’s wired,” D’Antoni said. “I don’t know what his ceiling is. But he seems to be the most improved player every year, to me. Just ridiculous.
“Every year he’s gotten better. His leadership is great. I can go on and on. I’m just glad I get to watch him every night.”
After so many similar shows, that even included an entirely inconsequential night in Miami.