The Rockets are the real deal. No one has reason to doubt them anymore.
Last week, James Harden played one of the best basketball games anyone has ever played. Since James Naismith invented the game, no player has scored over 50 points while also recording over 15 assists and rebounds. He tied Wilt Chamberlain for the most points in a triple double and earned Western Conference Player of the Week honors.
Harden is accounting for a league-high 57.6 points per game off of scoring and assists, per Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle.
The Beard led Houston to a 4-0 week with wins over the Knicks, Wizards, Clippers, and Mavericks. Although those opponents are not super tough, the Rockets took care of business.
Rockets Power Rankings
| Source | Rank | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Source | Rank | Trend |
| ESPN | 2 | Up 1 |
| CBS Sports | 3 | Same |
| USA Today | 4 | Same |
| NBA.com | 2 | Up 2 |
The Rockets also tied a franchise record with 15 wins in the month of December. They are 16-2 since December 1.
Plus, they have survived two weeks without standout center Clint Capela, who suffered a fractured left fibula. Since his injury, the Rockets have gone 6-2. In his absence, undersized big men Montrezl Harrell and Nene have really stepped up.
Next week, the Rockets will square off against the Oklahoma City Thunder with the obvious main event being the MVP matchup of Russell Westbrook versus James Harden.
They will also travel to Orlando and to Toronto for two inter-conference contests.