James Harden didn't exactly start out the season on a high note and this affected the Houston Rockets.
After a 0–3 start, it's obvious that Houston goes where Harden goes. Harden was in a slump, amassing only 54 points in total for the first three games. That total is just one point more than what Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors finished with against the New Orleans Pelicans but the bearded one wasn't fazed by it.
Although many are thinking that off-court distractions could be a reason, seeing that he has been linked to Khloe Kardashian and hence tied up with the Lamar Odom situation, Harden did probably the best thing he could — hit the gym and maintain focus.
Despite the world seemingly looking down on him hard, Harden finally regained his bearings and exploded for 37 points against his former team, the Oklahoma City Thunder, which finally allowed the Rockets to notch their first win of the season.
As far as his slump is concerned, Harden knows that even the game's greatest shooters have off nights. And it just so happened that the Rockets guard was snagged by such in the first three outings.
But now, it seems he is back in sync and hopefully, he can carry that shooting touch moving forward.
The Rockets will next be up against the Orlando Magic, a youth-filled and unpredictable quintet that the Harden and the Rockets should not take lightly.
Like he did last time out, Harden needs to take over and establish order for the Rockets, a role that is expected from him since he joined the team back in 2012.
The Rockets are among the favorites in the highly competitive Western Conference and for Houston to live up to its billing, Harden needs to deliver and provide the leadership the team sorely needs.
