Former NBA coach Earl Watson believes the new Russell Westbrook and James Harden partnership with the Rockets is “like the perfect marriage,” with each able to help the other improve as a player.

Speaking on the “Maybe I’m Crazy” podcast with Fox Sports 1‘s Joy Taylor, Watson — a teammate of Westbrook’s on the 2008-09 Oklahoma City Thunder — explained why he thinks the NBA’s 2017 and 2018 MVPs are poised to find more success together in Houston.

“I don’t think it’ll be this challenging beginning relationship with them trying to figure it out,” Watson said. “They’ve been playing together. They played together all last summer at UCLA. This is nothing new. They’ve been friends for maybe 10 to 15 years now. They know each other’s game.”

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HYW1IEtUqs?start=1818%5D

Specifically, Watson thinks each guard will be able to help the other improve at a relative weakness. “When you really start to dig deep and think about the levels to this, can James Harden teach Russell how to be a better pick-and-roll player?,” Watson asked.

“To where he’s creating shots, he’s manipulating pick-and-rolls, he’s finding the open man, he’s manipulating the game. Which I think, James is the best at doing it at his position. And then, can Russ influence James to be a better defender?”

“It’s like the perfect marriage,” Watson said of Westbrook and Harden. “They need each other. Like, when I played with Baron [Davis] at UCLA, and we both were in the backcourt… we learned from each other, and we started putting in each other’s games into our game.”

On the offensive side of the ball, Watson seems to expect Harden to serve as the primary ballhandler with the Rockets. “I think Russ is going to be dynamic,” Watson said. “If you remember the older OKC teams, when James [Harden] was on that team, KD [Kevin Durant] played the three, Russ played the two, and James played the one.”

“James did a lot of playmaking off the pick and roll. And Russ got off the ball, which I think he’s dynamic off the ball. He’s more of a threat when he catches it in the halfcourt and attacks, versus bringing it up and trying to make a play. And then you really start to evolve with it.”

Watson, who coached the Phoenix Suns from February 2016 until October 2017, says the stars’ existing relationship should prove critical in Westbrook’s willingness to make the necessary sacrifices.

“When you have two superstars and you have a superstar such as Russ, there’s only certain people in the league that you are willing to get off the ball for,” Watson said.

“Either someone who is a vet, who you feel like is a mentor to you. If they’re of equal age, it has to be someone that you respect their game and you go back with. James is that person. [Russell] respects him, they go back to high school. They have a relationship, they’re excited. They’re friends beyond the court. They’re family.”

.@Earl_Watson explains how Westbrook helps Houston offensively 🏀 “He’s going to beat you to the paint. And that’s where you’re going to get dunks, lobs, free throws, corner threes. He doesn’t have to be a great 3-point shooter, he has to be a great corner 3-point shooter.” pic.twitter.com/tuAiVgYyl9 — Maybe I'm Crazy with Joy Taylor (@maybeimcrazypod) August 8, 2019

To play well off the ball, Watson believes one of the keys for Westbrook is making corner three-pointers.

“The hardest thing to do in the NBA is to close out and keep your defender in front, even if he is a non-shooter,” Watson said, when asked about critics of Westbrook’s three-point shooting and whether it affects his ability to succeed away from the ball.

“If he’s a shooter, it’s more difficult. Imagine James coming down, getting a piece of the paint, kicking it out to the weak side, and now you have to make an attempt to close out Russ on a catch, with momentum attacking the basket.”

“Whether you close out short because you don’t think he can shoot, or you close out to touch, he is going to beat you to the paint,” Watson said of Westbrook. “That’s where you are going to get dunks, lobs, free throws, and corner threes. He doesn’t have to be a great shooter. He has to be a great corner three-point shooter. If he becomes a great corner three-point shooter like P.J. Tucker has become, then you [as an opposing team] have a serious problem.”

Watson said the only potential problem he sees for Westbrook, Harden, and the Rockets could be on the defensive end of the floor.

“That’s always been the Achilles heel for the Rockets. Defensively, how can they get a stop? That’s when P.J. Tucker and Tyson Chandler are going to be key,” said Watson, who coached Chandler in Phoenix and said the 19-year veteran would be an asset to Mike D’Antoni and the Houston coaching staff, too.

“But, can you entice Russell Westbrook to play on the other end of the ball because he’s going to be less offensively involved with the load? If Russ focuses to be one of the best defenders in the league, he will be First Team All-Defense. Because he is an amazing on-the-ball defender. Amazing. That’s going to be the biggest challenge.”

The complete podcast with Watson can be viewed here, with the exclusively Rockets portion beginning at the 30:18 mark.