Rockets Anticipate James Harden's Return: 'He’s Our Captain'

Harden joined the Rockets in Orlando on Tuesday night, five days after Houston entered the NBA bubble.

The Rockets continue to improve their conditioning in Orlando, but Houston isn't quite at full strength as it enters week two inside the NBA bubble. Russell Westbrook has yet to arrive after testing positive for COVID-19, and James Harden was previously in quarantine despite arriving in Orlando on Tuesday. The road to the NBA's restart hasn't exactly been smooth thus far for Mike D'Antoni and Co. 

Westbrook's timetable for returning to the Rockets remains murky. Harden's return should be more imminent. The 2017-18 MVP expects to join Houston for its practice on Thursday, per Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes.

Houston Rockets star James Harden plans to participate in his first practice today from Orlando, league sources tell Yahoo Sports.

— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) July 16, 2020

D'Antoni discussed his excitement for Harden's return on Wednesday, noting it should be a "seamless" transition getting Harden acclimated to the Rockets.

"Probably around Sunday he'll start scrimmaging with the guys," D'Antoni told the media via Zoom on Wednesday. "It wouldn't surprise me if he comes right out of the shoot ready to go. By our first scrimmage he'll be 100 percent."

Forward P.J. Tucker also addressed the prospect of Harden returning in the coming days. The Rockets' small-ball center expects a marked change in Houston's energy and effort in the coming weeks with Harden back in the fold.

"[Harden] is our team, he's our captain," Tucker said. "He runs the ship, and everyone else fills in the space around him. ...He raises the stakes every time he steps on the floor, and that's what we love about him. We know what we're going to get from No. 13."

Harden will win his third straight scoring title in 2019-20, and he will likely finish in the top five of the MVP vote for the sixth time in the last seven seasons. The Arizona State product is averaging 34.4 points per game this season, though he's shooting his worst mark from the field since his rookie year.

Harden and the Rockets enter the NBA restart No. 6 in the Western Conference at 40–24. They currently sit tied with the Thunder and one game back of the Jazz. 

Houston will hold a trio of scrimmages in Orlando before resuming the 2019-20 season on July 31.