James Harden Struggles as Rockets Lose Despite Westbrook's 34 Points

Russell Westbrook led all scorers with 34 points, while James Harden scored 17 points on 17 shots in Houston's 113-92 loss.

It was Russell Westbrook night in Oklahoma City on Thursday, and rightfully so. The Rockets' new point guard returned to Chesapeake Energy Arena as the Thunder's franchise leader in points, adding eight All-Star appearances, one Finals and one MVP in 11 seasons. The Thunder delivered pregame with a touching tribute video, and Westbrook held up his end of the bargain as well. The future Hall-of-Famer tallied 34 points in 34 minutes, gunning his way to a game-high 26 shots. The performance was vintage Westbrook, but unfortunately for the Rockets, it wasn't enough to defeat Chris Paul and the Thunder in a 113-92 loss.

Westbrook's stat line was imperfect on Thursday as he finished the night with seven turnovers and a 1-6 mark from three. But his performance was near-dominant compared to that of his co-star. James Harden was bottled by the Thunder throughout the night, scoring a season-low 17 points on 5-17 shooting. Perhaps fatigue had set in for the two-time scoring champion. He poured in 22 points in the first quarter against the Hawks on Wednesday, but he's now just 8-42 from the field (and 3-24 from three) in his last seven quarters. 

Regardless of the cause of Harden's struggles in Oklahoma City, the takeaway is clear: the Rockets will go only as far as Harden takes them. 

The sizable burden on Harden's shoulders is nothing new in Houston, nor has it been relatively lightened with Westbrook in tow. Harden still leads the league in usage, as he should. The Rockets average 1.16 points per possession on Harden isolations. They're 14–1 when he scores 40-plus points. Playing through Harden remains Houston's path to the Finals, even with a former MVP alongside him in the backcourt.

There's also little guarantee Westbrook can improve upon Chris Paul's playoff production in Houston. Oklahoma City's point guard—who was dealt from the Rockets in July—averaged 19.4 points per game in 26 playoff contests for Houston in 2018 and 2019. Paul closed out Utah with 41 points in Game 5 of the 2018 Western Conference semifinals, and he turned in a 27-point, 11-assist performance as the Rockets failed to fend off the Warriors in Game 6 of the 2019 West semis. 

Westbrook adds a significant athleticism edge over Paul and a new dynamic to the Rockets' attack. But Houston's efficiency downgrade can't be ignored. High-volume Westbrook in the postseason is a tenuous bet. Thursday night may be a harbinger of things to come.

Superstar questions aside, it's hard to imagine the Rockets winning the West without a greater contribution from its supporting cast. Take out Chris Clemons' garbage-time points, and Harden and Westbrook were the lone Rockets to finish in double figures against the Thunder. P.J. Tucker and Danuel House combined to go 2-8 from the field. Austin Rivers went 0-7 before falling into the cameras and exiting the game in the fourth quarter. Harden's gravity creates a flood of open looks, and on the right night, Houston's core of shooters can carry the team to victory. In a poor performance, a stream of clanked jumpers creates a serious uphill climb.

We should be careful not to draw too grand of conclusions from the Rockets' loss to the Thunder. Harden played 40 minutes in Atlanta on Wednesday, and Eric Gordon sat out Thursday's contest as he remains cautious with his knee after surgery. The Rockets have the talent to challenge for the championship, and they looked impressive against title contenders Denver and Philadelphia since New Year's Eve. 

There is a path for the Rockets to reach the Finals, though the road remains difficult. Houston sits at fourth in the Western Conference standings at 26–12 after Thursday's loss. Life without the Warriors isn't exactly easy. The Rockets could have to beat both Los Angeles teams to reach the Finals, with each series potentially starting on the West Coast.  They will need a consistent dose of MVP Harden to sniff the Finals. Performances like Thursday night won't be close to enough in April and May.