Houston Rockets win without James Harden

The Houston Rockets beat the Sacramento Kings with 102-94 last night.

Rockets fans, curious about how their franchise’s future will look like if James Harden gets traded, got their first look on Saturday when the disgruntled former MVP sat out against the Kings with an ankle injury.

If the rest of the season without Harden (if a deal happens) goes as well as Saturday’s 102-94 win did, Houston might be OK after all.

John Wall played incredibly well in his second game back after a two-year absence. He scored 28 points (his most since December 2018) with six assists, four rebounds, three steals, and two blocks in 37 minutes. He made 11-of-21 shots from the field and 2-of-8 3-pointers. After poking the ball away from De’Aaron Fox, Wall erupted with a flex and scream to a mostly empty Rockets arena. He’s back.

It wasn’t just Wall who impressed, though. Christian Wood put together one of his best nights in a Rockets uniform so far. He scored 20 points with 15 rebounds and a season-high four blocks in 33 minutes. He could’ve done even more if he hadn’t picked up his fifth foul early in the third quarter.

If the Houston Rockets are forced to deal Harden, the franchise will undeniably be losing a star it might not be able to replace for years. But the consolation is that they won’t fade from relevance anytime soon. Wall and Wood won’t let them.