Harden agrees with Bryant
Kobe Bryant, a basketball role model for James
Harden when growing up in Los Angeles, said Monday that he did not believe the Rockets’ current style could win a championship. At least one member of the Rockets agreed: James Harden.
“I’m not a fan of it in terms of winning championships,” Bryant said in an interview with ESPN. “I don’t think that style is ever going to win championships. But at the same time, you have to keep your team’s head above water to win games. You have to do what you have to do to win games. And he’s doing that.”
Harden had no issue with Bryant saying that being so ball dominant will not win a championship. He also said the style is temporary.
“I have to be ball dominant because we have injuries,” Harden said after scoring 44 points on Monday while extending his streak of games scoring at least 30 to 27. “But when we get Chris (Paul )ina rhythm and Eric (Gordon) back and our full roster, we have multiple guys that can make plays, dominate the ball.
“For right now, he’s probably right. This way won’t get us where we want to go. We haven't had a full roster yet. I'm excited for that."
Harden had his 20th 40-point game of the season on Monday, joining Wilt Chamberlain, Michael Jordan and Rick Barry as the only players to have scored 40 points at least 20 times within their first 50 games of a season. Harden’s 18th game with at least 40 points and five assists tied Nate Archibald’s record for a season set in 1972-73.
Ennis on fire with extra drills
Rockets forward James Ennis III did not just return to games once he got over his hamstring injury. He was back in the gym, too, adding a shooting routine that he said "definitely" has made him more comfortable with his shot and his role.
Ennis has made 39.5 percent of his 3-pointers since coming back froom his strained hamstring at the start of January. He has made 4 of 13 3s in the first three games of the Rockets' road trip, but 12 of his 24 attempts overall while starting the past two games as Chris Paul and Eric Gordon each sat out one of the games.
"When you put in a lot of work, that's where confidence comes from," Ennis said. "Me and my brother ( Jammal) have been going to the gym at night, trying to get a lot of shots up and it's carrying over."
"I'm hard on myself. I get a lot of good shots. I get good passes. I want to get them assists so I got to knock down the shots."