James Harden and Jeremy Lin are still learning their way around the streets of Houston, but they’ve wasted no time finding early season form in the opening week of NBA action.
Linsanity met Beardsanity on October 27th when the Oklahoma City Thunder shipped Harden to the Rockets for Kevin Martin, rookie Jeremy Lamb and draft picks. The trade was an early solution to what loomed as an unsolvable problem for the Thunder, the James Harden contract situation.
Oklahoma City were not willing to delve into luxury tax territory and reward Harden with a lucrative contract after already paying stars Westbrook, Durant and Ibaka to comfortable extensions.
The drama was never going to end well, with it being obvious that there a line of teams that were ready to throw a max contract at Harden the second he hit restricted free agency.
Instead of dealing with a season long headache, Thunder general manager Sam Presti has cast James Harden off to the Rockets, a team that were desperate for a star (Dwight Howard) during the offseason.
Tracing back the Rockets’ dealings to organise the collection they had on offer, there’s a wave of quality players that went out, headlined by Kyle Lowry and Samuel Dalembert.
So the confusing Houston Rockets just became the offensively abusing Houston Rockets, boasting the backcourt of Jeremy Lin and James Harden. The duo have opened the season over three games boasting the incredible combined average of 50.6 points, 13.6 assists and 12 rebounds per game.
To put in perspective how amazing that start is, the combined average between Kobe Bryant and Chris Paul is 49.7 points, 13.6 assists and 8.3 rebounds per game.
The Houston Rockets backcourt is outperforming the All-NBA backcourt in the first three games of the 2012-13 NBA season, and it’s not like Paul nor Bryant are slumping.
Of course, this kind of scorching hot form isn’t going to continue. Today the Rockets fell to the Blazers in overtime as Harden was held to 22 and gave up 5 turnovers. He is human.
But given that this time last season, neither man was starting on an NBA squad (admittedly, Harden did so by choice) and neither has averaged over 15 points in a season before, this is an astounding start.
A week ago, the Houston Rockets this season were expected to be a sideshow, while the real teams prepared for the playoffs. But now with a backcourt Ball Don’t Lie called “the best in the NBA”, it’s looking more and more likely the Rockets could be playoff-bound.
The only question now is ‘how far’?
How far can the core of Omer Asik, James Harden and Jeremy Lin go? It’s not going to be an overnight rise to the top, but the trio have time on their side. Asik is 26, Harden is 23 and Lin turned 24 in August.
Not only is their core young, but they’re all signed through until the end of the 2015 season (Harden until the end of 2018). The Rockets also currently boast the lowest the payroll in the NBA, having their total team salary come in just under $47 million.
It’s a far cry from the $100 million payroll the Lakers are fielding this season, and the Rockets are already up two wins on them.
James Harden and Jeremy Lin have started the season on fire, what the rest of the year holds is less certain. Taking the man behind Linsanity and then a scoring machine with a beard that makes Rick Ross jealous is just screaming for the media to focus in on your team.
Lucky for Daryl Morey and the Houston Rockets, Jeremy Lin and James Harden have absolutely no fear of the big stage.
Today’s loss against Portland exposed a lot of holes in this young Rockets team and provided a stern reminder that three games isn’t enough to anoint the Houston as anything except exciting, but the future is much brighter than it was seven days ago.
The Rockets have turned a joke of a franchise into a curt, critic silencing response.
“What happens when a bearded man and a Harvard graduate walk into a basketball stadium?”
They score, pass and rebound better than the best.
melo-drama
Guest
haha Mushi won't disagree with you there but they are fun to watch, Jennings game winning three was awesome the other night.....
astro
Guest
Firstly, I really wouldn't reference Ball Don't Lie...some of the worst NBA 'reporting' on the internet. Secondly, the Harden/Lin combo has been great because they have to be! The Rockets front court is offensively-limited to say the least, and so far their success has come against Detroit and the Hawks...hardly defensive juggernauts. And thirdly, Nash/Kobe, Parker/Manu, DWill/ JJ, Paul/Billups, Lawson/Iggy...all better back courts
FatCigar
Guest
Three games is not a season made. By a long stretch. Jury is still out.
FatCigar
Guest
Totally agree. At the end, the team got away from playing team ball. I hope the scoring does not get into the head of Harden too much. McHale should figure it out. He was a team player with the Celts.
josh
Guest
No.
Farmerj
Guest
The season is a week old. If at the end of April, Lin and Harden are still leading the league then sweet, Ill buy into it.
mushi
Roar Guru
Also when a traditional three is now a perimeter player Durant and Westbrook is as much a "back court" as Lin and Harden. Not sure about Ellis and Jennings, Ellis is one of the most over rated players in the league
melo-drama
Guest
I think it's a bit early to be making calls like that, they had 2 games where the ball dropped and one where it didn't. In any case the offence is always going to run through harden and not Lin due to his pure vision on the court. Lin seems to get some tunnel vision when he penetrates to the basket but some time watching tape should fix that. All in all if your shots are falling your always going to look awesome so it's a bit early yet especially when you have Ellis and Jennings who are going gun, D-Will and JJ and Bryant Nash..... There are probably a few more factors that should be looked at then 3 games....
mushi
Roar Guru
what I like is that they are both are really good at creating contact on the drive. Their ability to put other team's big men in foul trouble will really help out their front court.
Jack Tin
Guest
Yeah there has been some comments about Jlin needing to step up a bit with the scoring. They may need 1 more decent player to keep Harden/Lin combo from getting tired out. Harden seems fatigued last night.
Reece Jordan
Roar Pro
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sledgeross
Guest
Really impressed with the way both players prefer to take guys off the dribble, but can also make a pass and hit the outside shot. Watch this space.
aussie sports lover
Guest
Potentially IMO, but the offence needs to run through Lin more than Harden. Harden can and should be the main scorer. This was shown in the portland game when the game was tied and Harden went into "hero" mode and got the ball taken off him taking the game into OT. If Harden wanted to be the guy scoring the last ball, fine, but he should not have played ISO whilst the rest of the team stand around watching. Jlin should have the last ball and then Harden or whoeverl else get themselves into open position and score what should have been the game winning point. The offence works best when everyone is moving, cutting, slashing - ISO play should not have happened especially when jharden looks tired, not to mention apparenlty had a niggling minor injury of some kind. I just hope JHarden doesn't become a ballhog. Still early days, but definitely the potential is there but they have to realise they need each other to succeed.
J Richmond
Guest
Indeed, the new Rockets are exciting to root for. Last night's lose exposed the need to assign roles for the team, and the need for the bench to step up and shine. The team is too depending on Lin/Harden to carry the load...the moment they rest is when their lead disappears...Jeremy needs to be the facilitator while James should be the leading scorer. ... They are young...time is on their side to grow together. Very exciting!