According to NBA reporter Keith Pompey, Harden ending up in Brooklyn came as a shock to the 76ers as they believed they had a “done deal” for the player. In a recent piece for The Philadelphia Inquirer, Pompey wrote that the team offered All-Star Ben Simmons and second-year player Matisse Thybulle to the Rockets and were convinced the package would be accepted.

But Houston reportedly never responded to Philly’s offer and instead opted for a four-team trade that landed them a haul of picks and All-Star Victor Oladipo for Harden.

While it may be surprising, the 76ers’ willingness to part ways with Simmons isn’t hard to believe. The team’s new president of basketball operation Daryl Morey is a big fan of Harden’s game and is known to make risky moves if they could possibly make his team better.

What isn’t surprising is the Rockets’ decision to go with the Nets’ offer. Many people assumed that the organization still has hard feelings towards Morey for his departure and that owner Tilman Fertitta wouldn’t allow the team’s former general manager and star player to reunite elsewhere.

The post 76ers Reportedly Believed They Had a “Done Deal” for James Harden appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Harden asked to be traded earlier in the offseason and told the Rockets that his preferred destination is Brooklyn. Houston doesn’t seem to have a problem with that—as long as they get a superstar back.

This doesn’t seem like a realistic scenario, as Harden wants to go to the Nets so that he could play with both Irving and Durant. So swapping either of the All-Stars for him would probably make the 31-year-old guard less enthusiastic about the trade.

Recent reports also indicate that Harden decided to expand the list of the teams he would like to play for. These teams included the Philadelphia 76ers, Miami Heat, and Milwaukee Bucks on it. But him landing to one of these spots also isn’t very likely, since these teams would have a hard time meeting the package demands that the Rockets have: a young franchise star, talented players, and a bunch of picks.

The only realistic option are perhaps the 76ers, who could possibly include their young All-Star guard Ben Simmons in the deal. The Rockets would most certainly be willing to do this type of trade, but the question is whether Philly is willing to go this far in order to land Harden.

Any trade involving James Harden shouldn’t be expected anytime soon, since sources close to Houston Rockets have reported that the organization is willing to wait for the best deal they can get. Harden still has two years left on his deal, so Houston isn’t in a rush—even if they have a disgruntled star on the team.

The post Rockets Would Trade James Harden to Nets only for Kyrie Irving or Kevin Durant appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Tim MacMahon reported on Wednesday that both Harden and Westbrook are unsure about their future with the Rockets. The pair is reportedly concerned about the direction that the franchise has taken lately and voiced their doubts to the front office and team ownership.

Sources close to the organization told Wojnarowski and MacMahon that the Rockets’ All-Stars haven’t asked to be traded but that this scenario became a possibility.

Houston Rockets have been in the mix for the NBA title for the past several years but couldn’t get over the hump. They have been eliminated in the Conference semi-finals three times in the past four years while also blowing up a 3-2 lead in Conference finals in 2017/18.

Now, the overwhelming opinion around the league is that their championship window is closed, considering the team’s lack of assets and ways to improve an aging roster.

Rockets don’t have their draft picks this year or in 2024 and 2026, while Oklahoma City Thunder holds the right to make a pick swap in 2021 and 2025. They also lack in prominent young players that they could use in potential deals.

Another issue for the Rockets is the tricky salary cap situation, courtesy of James Harden and Russell Westbrook’s max contracts. Harden and Russell are owed $131.5 million each in the next three seasons while they also have additional player options worth north of $46.5 million.

It remains to be seen whether the new Rockets’ front office can get creative and make moves that could make Harden and Westbrook happy. If not, then this will be the beginning of an end for Rockets as we knew them for the past five years.

The post James Harden and Russell Westbrook Unsure About Their Future with Rockets appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

According to Harden, media “narrative” largely affected his chances and eventually contributed to his loss.

“Once the media, they create a narrative about somebody from the beginning of the year, I think they just take that narrative and just run with it the entire year,” – said Harden. “I don’t want to get into details. All I can do is control what I can do, and I went out there and did what I was supposed to do at a high level. There’s only a few other seasons that anybody has ever done that before.”

You can check out the entire interview below.

James Harden had a historic season in 2018/19 from an offensive standpoint as he led the league in scoring with 36.1 points per game and had a 32-games streak in which he scored at least 30 points. Still, this wasn’t enough for him to claim the MVP honors, as voters leaned towards Antetokounmpo due to the fact that he led the Bucks to the best record in the league.

This wasn’t the first time for Harden to narrowly miss on MVP Award. In 2014/15 NBA season, he finished second to Stephen Curry, while 2016/17 saw him lose to Russell Westbrook. He finally won the award in 2017-18 when he led the Rockets to the first seed in the Western Conference.

The post James Harden Thinks He Didn’t Win MVP Because of Media “Narrative” appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

According to reports from ESPN and Sports Illustrated among other outlets, Harden and Paul’s relationship took a wrong turn after the Rockets were eliminated by the Golden State Warriors in the second round of the playoffs. The friction between the two teammates was so severe that Harden reportedly didn’t want to answer Paul’s calls after the season ended.

But, even if there was a problem between the two, Harden won’t admit it. The 2018 NBA MVP talked with reporters on Saturday and denied that he had any trouble with Paul.

“It was a lot of false talk,”- said Harden. “Obviously as team-mates, as competitors we argue on the court. You have your disagreements on the court. Your arguments on the court. But that’s just part of basketball. Everybody has that. No matter what level of basketball you’re in.”

“All the negative media stuff and all the stuff that was running, it wasn’t true.” – he added. “Me and Chris had constant communication and you know, we’re good.”

With Chris Paul out of town, James Harden will now team up with Westbrook, with whom he already played early in his career. Harden and Westbrook hope to be a formidable duo that could make a run for the NBA Championship this season, especially with no clear favorite following the end of Warriors’ dynasty.

“I’m excited for this opportunity,” – Harden shared. “It’s a new chapter, but I know he’s [Westbrook] excited.”

The post James Harden on Reported Chris Paul Feud: “We’re Good” appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

James Harden, the NBA MVP last season, makes the cut again after another torrid scoring performance this season. The bearded slasher led the league in scoring with 36.1 points per game to lead a potent Houston Rockets offense. He also chipped in 7.5 assists and 6.6 rebounds per game.

The favorite this year, however, might be Bucks phenom Giannis Antetokounmpo. The “Greek Freak” is currently leading Milwaukee to a deep playoff run after an excellent regular season in which he averaged 27.7 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game. He was insanely efficient on offense, shooting nearly 57% from the field.

Rounding out the field is Oklahoma City Thunder forward Paul George. He also had a strong 2018-19 campaign, scoring 28 points per game and leading the league with 2.2 steals per game.

The winner of the award will be announced on June 24, 2019 at the NBA Awards in Los Angeles. The event will be presented by NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal.

The post Giannis Antetokounmpo, Paul George, James Harden Named NBA MVP Finalists appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Houston evened the series after a tight 112-108 win at home against the Golden State Warriors, showing that they have the mettle to push the back-to-back defending NBA Champions to their limits.

James Harden, once again, put his team on his back with a 38 point performance. The bearded slasher shot 17 three-pointers and made 6 of them. It wasn’t his most efficient performance, but it was a typical Harden. He scored in volume and got the job done.

Harden’s barrage was enough to withstand the Warriors’ two-pronged attack of Kevin Durant and Steph Curry. Durant, with 34 points, and Curry, with 30, kept things close all night, but ultimately couldn’t overcome Houston in the game’s final stretch.

Harden got help from Eric Gordon and PJ Tucker, who scored 20 and 17 points, respectively. Tucker also grabbed 10 rebounds, turning in a double-double performance.

Now, with the series tied at 2 apiece, this matchup could go either way.

The two teams will meet for a pivotal Game 5 showdown on Wednesday night in Oakland.

Will the Warriors finally meet their match?

The post Rockets Even Up Series with Warriors in Tense Game 4 appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Harden scored a mind-boggling 61 points in the Rockets’ 111-105 win over the San Antonio Spurs.

The front-runner for the MVP is now averaging an absurd 36.5 points per game on the season.

Harden scored his 61 points on only 34 shots from the field, demonstrating elite efficiency. He got to the free throw line 17 times on Friday night and made 14 of those shots.

After the game, Houston head coach Mike D’Antoni said that Harden’s performance was “one of the best” that he had ever seen.

Harden also scored 61 points in a January game against the New York Knicks, and joins Wilt Chamberlain, Michael Jordan, and Kobe Bryant as the only players to ever have multiple 60-point games in a season.

The Rockets’ win over the Spurs improved their record to 46-27. With 9 games left in the season, they currently hold a one-game edge over the Portland Trail Blazers for the Western Conference’s #3 seed in the playoffs.

The Rockets largely have Harden to thank for their strong position in the standings this year. He proved it once again on Friday night.

The post James Harden Scores Career-High 61 in Houston Win appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

 According to NBA reporter Keith Pompey, Harden ending up in Brooklyn came as a shock to the 76ers as they believed they had a “done deal” for the player. In a recent piece for The Philadelphia Inquirer, Pompey wrote that the team offered All-Star Ben Simmons and second-year player Matisse Thybulle to the Rockets and were convinced the package would be accepted.

But Houston reportedly never responded to Philly’s offer and instead opted for a four-team trade that landed them a haul of picks and All-Star Victor Oladipo for Harden.

While it may be surprising, the 76ers’ willingness to part ways with Simmons isn’t hard to believe. The team’s new president of basketball operation Daryl Morey is a big fan of Harden’s game and is known to make risky moves if they could possibly make his team better.

What isn’t surprising is the Rockets’ decision to go with the Nets’ offer. Many people assumed that the organization still has hard feelings towards Morey for his departure and that owner Tilman Fertitta wouldn’t allow the team’s former general manager and star player to reunite elsewhere.

The post 76ers Reportedly Believed They Had a “Done Deal” for James Harden appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Harden asked to be traded earlier in the offseason and told the Rockets that his preferred destination is Brooklyn. Houston doesn’t seem to have a problem with that—as long as they get a superstar back.

This doesn’t seem like a realistic scenario, as Harden wants to go to the Nets so that he could play with both Irving and Durant. So swapping either of the All-Stars for him would probably make the 31-year-old guard less enthusiastic about the trade.

Recent reports also indicate that Harden decided to expand the list of the teams he would like to play for. These teams included the Philadelphia 76ers, Miami Heat, and Milwaukee Bucks on it. But him landing to one of these spots also isn’t very likely, since these teams would have a hard time meeting the package demands that the Rockets have: a young franchise star, talented players, and a bunch of picks.

The only realistic option are perhaps the 76ers, who could possibly include their young All-Star guard Ben Simmons in the deal. The Rockets would most certainly be willing to do this type of trade, but the question is whether Philly is willing to go this far in order to land Harden.

Any trade involving James Harden shouldn’t be expected anytime soon, since sources close to Houston Rockets have reported that the organization is willing to wait for the best deal they can get. Harden still has two years left on his deal, so Houston isn’t in a rush—even if they have a disgruntled star on the team.

The post Rockets Would Trade James Harden to Nets only for Kyrie Irving or Kevin Durant appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Tim MacMahon reported on Wednesday that both Harden and Westbrook are unsure about their future with the Rockets. The pair is reportedly concerned about the direction that the franchise has taken lately and voiced their doubts to the front office and team ownership.

Sources close to the organization told Wojnarowski and MacMahon that the Rockets’ All-Stars haven’t asked to be traded but that this scenario became a possibility.

Houston Rockets have been in the mix for the NBA title for the past several years but couldn’t get over the hump. They have been eliminated in the Conference semi-finals three times in the past four years while also blowing up a 3-2 lead in Conference finals in 2017/18.

Now, the overwhelming opinion around the league is that their championship window is closed, considering the team’s lack of assets and ways to improve an aging roster.

Rockets don’t have their draft picks this year or in 2024 and 2026, while Oklahoma City Thunder holds the right to make a pick swap in 2021 and 2025. They also lack in prominent young players that they could use in potential deals.

Another issue for the Rockets is the tricky salary cap situation, courtesy of James Harden and Russell Westbrook’s max contracts. Harden and Russell are owed $131.5 million each in the next three seasons while they also have additional player options worth north of $46.5 million.

It remains to be seen whether the new Rockets’ front office can get creative and make moves that could make Harden and Westbrook happy. If not, then this will be the beginning of an end for Rockets as we knew them for the past five years.

The post James Harden and Russell Westbrook Unsure About Their Future with Rockets appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

According to Harden, media “narrative” largely affected his chances and eventually contributed to his loss.

“Once the media, they create a narrative about somebody from the beginning of the year, I think they just take that narrative and just run with it the entire year,” – said Harden. “I don’t want to get into details. All I can do is control what I can do, and I went out there and did what I was supposed to do at a high level. There’s only a few other seasons that anybody has ever done that before.”

You can check out the entire interview below.

James Harden had a historic season in 2018/19 from an offensive standpoint as he led the league in scoring with 36.1 points per game and had a 32-games streak in which he scored at least 30 points. Still, this wasn’t enough for him to claim the MVP honors, as voters leaned towards Antetokounmpo due to the fact that he led the Bucks to the best record in the league.

This wasn’t the first time for Harden to narrowly miss on MVP Award. In 2014/15 NBA season, he finished second to Stephen Curry, while 2016/17 saw him lose to Russell Westbrook. He finally won the award in 2017-18 when he led the Rockets to the first seed in the Western Conference.

The post James Harden Thinks He Didn’t Win MVP Because of Media “Narrative” appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

According to reports from ESPN and Sports Illustrated among other outlets, Harden and Paul’s relationship took a wrong turn after the Rockets were eliminated by the Golden State Warriors in the second round of the playoffs. The friction between the two teammates was so severe that Harden reportedly didn’t want to answer Paul’s calls after the season ended.

But, even if there was a problem between the two, Harden won’t admit it. The 2018 NBA MVP talked with reporters on Saturday and denied that he had any trouble with Paul.

“It was a lot of false talk,”- said Harden. “Obviously as team-mates, as competitors we argue on the court. You have your disagreements on the court. Your arguments on the court. But that’s just part of basketball. Everybody has that. No matter what level of basketball you’re in.”

“All the negative media stuff and all the stuff that was running, it wasn’t true.” – he added. “Me and Chris had constant communication and you know, we’re good.”

With Chris Paul out of town, James Harden will now team up with Westbrook, with whom he already played early in his career. Harden and Westbrook hope to be a formidable duo that could make a run for the NBA Championship this season, especially with no clear favorite following the end of Warriors’ dynasty.

“I’m excited for this opportunity,” – Harden shared. “It’s a new chapter, but I know he’s [Westbrook] excited.”

The post James Harden on Reported Chris Paul Feud: “We’re Good” appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

James Harden, the NBA MVP last season, makes the cut again after another torrid scoring performance this season. The bearded slasher led the league in scoring with 36.1 points per game to lead a potent Houston Rockets offense. He also chipped in 7.5 assists and 6.6 rebounds per game.

The favorite this year, however, might be Bucks phenom Giannis Antetokounmpo. The “Greek Freak” is currently leading Milwaukee to a deep playoff run after an excellent regular season in which he averaged 27.7 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game. He was insanely efficient on offense, shooting nearly 57% from the field.

Rounding out the field is Oklahoma City Thunder forward Paul George. He also had a strong 2018-19 campaign, scoring 28 points per game and leading the league with 2.2 steals per game.

The winner of the award will be announced on June 24, 2019 at the NBA Awards in Los Angeles. The event will be presented by NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal.

The post Giannis Antetokounmpo, Paul George, James Harden Named NBA MVP Finalists appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Houston evened the series after a tight 112-108 win at home against the Golden State Warriors, showing that they have the mettle to push the back-to-back defending NBA Champions to their limits.

James Harden, once again, put his team on his back with a 38 point performance. The bearded slasher shot 17 three-pointers and made 6 of them. It wasn’t his most efficient performance, but it was a typical Harden. He scored in volume and got the job done.

Harden’s barrage was enough to withstand the Warriors’ two-pronged attack of Kevin Durant and Steph Curry. Durant, with 34 points, and Curry, with 30, kept things close all night, but ultimately couldn’t overcome Houston in the game’s final stretch.

Harden got help from Eric Gordon and PJ Tucker, who scored 20 and 17 points, respectively. Tucker also grabbed 10 rebounds, turning in a double-double performance.

Now, with the series tied at 2 apiece, this matchup could go either way.

The two teams will meet for a pivotal Game 5 showdown on Wednesday night in Oakland.

Will the Warriors finally meet their match?

The post Rockets Even Up Series with Warriors in Tense Game 4 appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Harden scored a mind-boggling 61 points in the Rockets’ 111-105 win over the San Antonio Spurs.

The front-runner for the MVP is now averaging an absurd 36.5 points per game on the season.

Harden scored his 61 points on only 34 shots from the field, demonstrating elite efficiency. He got to the free throw line 17 times on Friday night and made 14 of those shots.

After the game, Houston head coach Mike D’Antoni said that Harden’s performance was “one of the best” that he had ever seen.

Harden also scored 61 points in a January game against the New York Knicks, and joins Wilt Chamberlain, Michael Jordan, and Kobe Bryant as the only players to ever have multiple 60-point games in a season.

The Rockets’ win over the Spurs improved their record to 46-27. With 9 games left in the season, they currently hold a one-game edge over the Portland Trail Blazers for the Western Conference’s #3 seed in the playoffs.

The Rockets largely have Harden to thank for their strong position in the standings this year. He proved it once again on Friday night.

The post James Harden Scores Career-High 61 in Houston Win appeared first on yoursportspot.com.