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“He Used This Time to Recharge”: Rockets Coach Hints That James Harden is Fired Up to Return

Published 06/07/2020, 6:30 AM EDT

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It is no secret that players train hard during the off-season. During the current NBA hiatus, every athlete’s goal is to come back stronger when the season resumes. Every competitive player wants to shine on the stage. But when James Harden is said to be “ready” for the postseason, you know there’s a storm coming your way. 

Harden can certainly be named as one of the best shooting guards in history. When he gets into the groove, his dribbles will make your head spin. The step-back three will end your hopes of defending against him anymore. His signature move is so good that whenever Harden does his dazzling dribble and steps back, it is a visual treat to the eyes. 

Mike D’Antoni is the current head coach of the Houston Rockets. He is no stranger to the world of NBA and has been associated with the league for a long time now. D’Antoni and Harden joined hands in 2016, when the former signed up with the Rockets as their new coach. D’Antoni’s experience and his fast offensive game broadly suits Harden’s style. 

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James Harden has an incredible fire inside him according to Mike D’Antoni 

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James Harden is a spectacular athlete. The two-time scoring champion is never the one to back down from challenges. During testing times like these, he prepares himself patiently and waits for his call. D’Antoni also complimented him on a recent chat with Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle.

Speaking about Harden’s attitude, D’Antoni mentioned the hunger of the 2018 MVP to go back on the court. “I know from conversations that (Harden is) ready,” D’Antoni said. “But he always is. He loves to play. Probably the worst thing you can do is take basketball away from him. He has used this to recharge, to get in better shape and still always has that incredible fire that will lead him to be one of the best in the game, which he is. Yeah, I’m excited about that.”

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Well, from the boss’s words, we can expect to see a hungry lion when we see the Rockets take the court in Orlando. The team is in good form, playing under the expertise of Harden and Russell Westbrook. The latter has been an important addition to the team this season, as he is expected to power the team to the finals. 

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James Harden currently leads the NBA scoring charts for the season, averaging 34.4 points in the 61 games that he’s played. No other player is close to ‘The Beard’ when it comes to scoring baskets. With 30.5 points per game, Wizards’ Bradley Beal is the only other player averaging in the 30s. 

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Written by:

Arjun Athreya

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Arjun Athreya is a senior writer at Essentially Sports and has been contributing since early 2020. Having developed an avid interest in sports at an early age, he pursued a Journalism degree and graduated from Madras Christian College. Arjun manages the Golf division and its content, and primarily covers news pertaining to the NBA as well.
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