How far can James Harden propel the Rockets?
This is a grand experiment for the NBA. The 22 teams with even a remote chance of making the playoffs removes the bottom portion of the league, the patsies against whom James Harden can do things like produce 95 total points scored and assisted, a monstrous feat he pulled off with a 53 point, 16 rebound, 17 assist effort against the New York Knicks on New Year’s Eve, 2016.
Against tough competition, Harden will be hard-pressed to keep up his high production levels, but the bubble situation gives him one less thing to worry about. Once the playoffs begin, we’ll be in a different realm again. There won’t be back-to-backs, but the playoffs (usually) don’t have back-to-backs anyway.
One difference, however, will be road games and travel days. We’ll see how much that matters, but for Harden and other stars as well, it’s certain to help produce a high level of basketball.
As for the seeding games, don’t be surprised if James Harden puts up the gaudiest numbers of the bunch by far as a result of the bubble’s inherent increased rest and reduced travel wear and tear.
If there was a “restart bubble MVP” award, James Harden may well be an early favorite.