Inside The Rockets

Clippers' James Harden Returns to Houston for Rockets Game

James Harden faces off against his old Houston Rockets.

Jeremy Brener

Mar 6, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden (1) in action during the game against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
Mar 6, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden (1) in action during the game against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
In this story:

The Houston Rockets were home for James Harden for nine years, and for the first time since his departure, the franchise has a legitimate chance to crack the postseason.

Harden has played with three teams since leaving Clutch City, and his current team, the Los Angeles Clippers, are in town for a two-game series beginning Wednesday at the Toyota Center.

Harden has had to shoulder the load for the Clippers to start the season as Kawhi Leonard has been out with a right knee injury. So far this season, he has averaged 20.8 points, 9.0 assists and 8.4 rebounds per game, which isn't exactly where his numbers were during his Houston days, but they are still respectable, especially for a 35-year-old.

Harden has been back in Houston many times since being traded back in January 2021, but every time he comes back sparks old memories of his times with the Rockets.

Since the Rockets have yet to make the playoffs after Harden's departure, the fans are still grateful for him and hold his memories close. However, the new batch of Rockets that have been developing since he left are now mature and ready to take the spotlight.

In a sense, it's a passing of the torch, but Harden will look to lead the Clippers to remind Houston who is still king.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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