On Wednesday, April 1, the Houston Rockets confirmed that their star player, James Harden, will be out indefinitely due to a hamstring injury. The injury was sustained during the Rockets’ game against the Sacramento Kings on Sunday, March 29, in which Harden played just 28 minutes before exiting the game.
This is a major blow to the Rockets, who are currently fighting for playoff contention in the Western Conference. Harden has been the driving force for the team this season, averaging 34.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 7.4 assists per game. He has been instrumental in the team’s success, leading them to a 40-24 record before the NBA season was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Harden’s injury is particularly concerning because he has a history of hamstring injuries. During the 2018-2019 season, he missed a total of eight games due to hamstring strains. His recent injury seems to be of similar severity, and the Rockets are taking a cautious approach to his recovery.
The team has not announced a timetable for Harden’s return, but it is clear that they will be without him for an extended period. This puts a significant amount of pressure on the rest of the team to step up and fill the void left by their star player.
With the NBA season set to resume on July 31, the Rockets will need to find a way to stay competitive without Harden. The team will likely rely heavily on Russell Westbrook, who has been playing at an All-Star level this season, and Eric Gordon, who has shown flashes of his scoring ability in limited minutes.
The injury to James Harden is a reminder of how quickly fortunes can change in the NBA. One moment a team can be cruising towards the playoffs with their star player leading the way, and the next moment that player can be out indefinitely with a potentially season-ending injury.
For the Houston Rockets, the road ahead will not be easy without James Harden. However, the team must rally together and find a way to compete at a high level if they hope to make a deep playoff run.