Stepping Back: Harden Notches Triple-Double in Return, as Nets Down Rockets, 132-114, for Houston’s 13th Straight Loss
Still Dreaming. Recycled Return. Necessary Break.
“Dreams feel real while we’re in them. It’s only when we wake up that we realize something was actually strange,” Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) mentions in Christopher Nolan’s classic film, Inception. A quote that makes me question if I’m in a dream, considering all the craziness that has been this Houston Rockets season. Well the dream, or nightmare, however you want to analyze this phase of Rockets basketball, continued on Wednesday night in Houston. And the best player not nicknamed “The Dream” to ever sport a Rockets jersey, James Harden, returned to Houston for the first time since his departure to Brooklyn. And in typical Beard-fashion, Harden led Brooklyn, snagging a triple-double, as the Nets cruised past the Rockets 132-114. Number 13 for the Nets made sure Houston lost for the 13th time in a row, showing fans glimpses of past glory, only in different apparel.
Despite season-highs from John Wall and Victor Oladipo, who scored 36 and 33 points respectively, the Rockets didn’t have enough firepower against the NBA’s most dangerous team. Harden’s 29 points and 14 assists, and Kyrie Irving’s 24 points made sure Houston wasn’t ending the streak on Harden’s Homecoming Night. After an initial mixed reception for Harden, a mix of cheers and boos, the Rockets played a tribute video for the Beard, thanking him for everything he did in Houston. When the video ended, boos silenced, and the crowd embraced Harden, as he also acknowledged the fans. It was a goosebump-inducing moment, and regardless of how the Beard left town. He’s left a permanent mark in H-Town, forever. One only the greatest players ever could dream of accomplishing. And as Houston continues to “embrace the tank,” the Beard, the former face of the Rockets for almost a decade, is in the best position of his career to win a title.
Wednesday night was just a recycled return. The same old Harden. And the same old Rockets we’ve seen get blown-out 13 games in a row. Despite the hype entering the match considering Harden’s return to H-Town, Brooklyn ensured this game wouldn’t be competitive, as Brooklyn controlled the tempo from the tip. The Nets are scary, and even without Kevin Durant, Brooklyn looks capable of winning it all. It would’ve been nice for Houston to beat this Nets team that earlier in the season had a few bad losses, but the Rockets simply were the inferior opponent tonight. And will be on most nights, until Christian Wood returns.
Up next is the NBA All-Star break. Houston will have a full week-off to heal, and get stronger. The Rockets have been battered by injuries this entire season. As we near the second half, Houston needs to hope this trend ends. Christian Wood is supposedly close to returning, as the Rockets are immensely more powerful with Wood on the court. But, they’re going to to need more than their big man’s return to get back on track. Hopefully, the squad comes in with an optimistic mindset after the break, and the Rockets can put this ugly losing streak behind them in the next game. But Houston won’t have Christian Wood. And they’re winless since he went down. The Rockets need to dream big if they want to climb back into the playoff picture during the season’s second-half.
Harden’s time in Houston mimicked a real-life dream of sorts. Our dreams are where anything is possible. It’s where people can dream of their late parents and revisit seemingly long-forgotten relationships. We live to forget some things, but similar to Cobb in Inception, we dream to remember. I know it still feels strange to see the Beard in a different jersey. Whether you love him or hate Harden, if you’re a basketball fan, you’ll remember Harden’s time in Houston. What a time it was, comparable to the best of dreams. But unlike the ambiguous ending in Inception, if Harden showed Rockets fans anything on Wednesday night: it’s time to wake up… the dream’s over.