



It’s been one heck of a year in Houston. Hopes were high after the team added Chris Paul via a trade in the offseason, but it’s still been a season that has raised eyebrows. Houston has the best record in the NBA at 64-16, and regardless of what happens in the final two games of the 2017-18 campaign, the Rockets have set the franchise record for the most wins in a year.

The team also has James Harden, who is the favorite to wrap up the first MVP award of his productive career. All of these honors and accolades are well-deserved, but in Harden’s eyes, they’re all hollow if the team isn’t able to win a ring.

Harden spoke to Kristie Rieken of the Associated Press and made it clear that he has one objective this season.



“The ultimate goal is holding that trophy up,” Harden told Rieken. “So until we do that there’s no celebrations … we haven’t done anything yet.”

Harden also looked back on his past postseason failures, like his performance in Houston’s blowout loss to the San Antonio Spurs in the playoffs last year. As he says, those past failures have taught him about the importance of making sure you have teammates who can help shoulder the load.

“These last few years I’ve learned that obviously you can’t do it by yourself,” Harden said. “You need guys to step up, make big shots, make big plays and so we have enough guys in here on any given night that can change a playoff series. So that’s what you need. That’s what puts you over the top.”

The Rockets certainly have that now — beyond Harden and Paul, Houston has a myriad of players who can stretch the floor within Mike D’Antoni’s system. Add in the emergence of big man Clint Capela and maybe, just maybe, the Rockets have what it takes to achieve Harden’s stated goal of lifting the Larry O’Brien Trophy.

(Via AP)