Twenty-nine NBA teams will try to make James Harden eat his words over the next few months.
The Houston Rockets superstar told ESPN’s Jovan Buha he’s confident his team will win the NBA championship this season. The 47-13 Rockets currently own the NBA’s best record and lead the Golden State Warriors, the defending NBA champions, in the race for the top seed in the NBA playoffs.
“This is the year,” Harden said. “For sure.”
Harden credits the Rockets’ brain trust and the arrival of some key players for taking the team into the NBA stratosphere.
“The front office — (general manager) Daryl Morey and (CEO) Tad Brown — those guys did an unbelievable job,” Harden said. “From last year, bringing (Eric Gordon) and (Ryan Anderson) over. Then obviously adding (Chris Paul) and (PJ Tucker) and (Luc Mbah a Moute) and then you get (Gerald Green) and Joe Johnson.
Harden has been in the NBA since 2009-10 but has reached in the NBA Finals only once, in 2011-12 with the Oklahoma City Thunder. He knows well what teams need to advance to the decisive playoff round and believes this Rockets team has what it takes.
“This is probably the best team I’ve ever been a part of, from top to bottom,” Harden concluded. “The chemistry that we have, included with the coaching staff — I mean, we’re having a lot of fun.”
If the Rockets didn’t speak loud enough with their play, the rest of the NBA surely will take notice of Harden’s apparent guarantee.
