James Harden Confident Rockets Winning Streak 'Will Come Soon'

The Rockets have won nine of their last 12, but matchups against the Lakers, Jazz and Mavericks loom before the All-Star Break.

The Rockets have been largely rolling of late, entering Tuesday's matchup in Memphis with nine wins in their last 12 games. They sit just 0.5 games back of Denver for the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, and the past month has included wins over the Clippers, Nuggets and 76ers. A 56-win pace through 36 games is in line with expectations entering the season. 

Yet despite a 26–12 record, James Harden and the Rockets don't feel as though they've quite hit their stride in 2019-20. Houston has battled both injuries and lapses against lesser opponents this season–including losses to New Orleans, Detroit, Golden State and Sacramento–and it hasn't won five straight games since mid-November. But Harden says a winning streak is on the horizon. 

"It will come soon," Harden told the media at the Toyota Center on Monday. "We just got to get everybody playing. We got guys that obviously on back-to-backs they can't play and things like that. We haven't had a full roster to give ourselves an opportunity, so that time will come."

Harden has reason for his confidence. The Rockets have the NBA's best offense in their last 20 games at 115.4 points per 100 possessions, and they rank fourth in net rating. Eric Gordon is now back in Houston's rotation, and the Rockets should be at full strength for the foreseeable future if center Clint Capela can stay on the floor despite a right heel contusion. As the Western Conference contenders jostle for seeding, Harden is confident in the Rockets' roster. 

"When we have our full roster it's pretty tough to beat us," Harden said. 

Houston is playing strong basketball of late, though it has faced a favorable schedule over the last month. Just three of the Rockets' last nine wins have come against teams with winning records. They've beat just one team above .500 on the road since Dec. 7. This isn't an indictment on Harden and Co. The schedule ebbs and flows throughout the season. But the relatively easy stretch is ending. A difficult road awaits. 

The Rockets will host LeBron James and the Lakers on Saturday, kicking off a challenging slate until the All-Star Break. Houston plays each of the the Lakers, Nuggets and Jazz twice before Feb. 11. Luka Doncic comes to the Toyota Center on Jan. 31, and the Celtics will be the final team the Rockets face before the break. Nine of the Rockets' 16 games before the All-Star break are against teams over .500, and at least four of their opponents can be considered Finals contenders. A strong close to the first chapter of the season may be necessary for the Rockets to compete for home court in round two of the Western Conference playoffs. 

Harden said he isn't focused on the Rockets' upcoming schedule, nor their standing in the Western Conference. The schedule is almost immaterial. What matters is how Houston performs in the coming weeks, regardless of their opponent. A 26–12 start is impressive, though imperfect. Harden believes the best is yet to come. 

"[The standings] change every single day," Harden said. "We're all playing against each other, we're all competing against each other. So I think our main focus is us, and getting a full roster and racking up as many wins as we can."