COUNTDOWN TO LIFTOFF
James Harden and the Rockets are ready for prime time
Jul 31, 2020, 12:44 pm
Composite photo by Brandon Strange
The Beard is back!
After the last three games, James Harden is averaging 30 points per game and 8.3 assists from the field. Harden has showed his complete readiness in these three games. He was able to score 30 points in the first half against the Boston Celtics Tuesday night.
30 points in the first-half for Harden with 7 3PT made. What will he finish the night with? https://t.co/zOt5BFyrjc— Houston Rockets (@Houston Rockets) 1595985887.0
Harden is in a great shape after an extreme weight loss. He was able to enjoy yoga and a ton of conditioning in Arizona.
"Conditioning, extra sprints after practice and pushing myself to be the best I can be," as Harden told Anthony Duckett from Space City Scoop.
Harden has a grand total of 16 threes in these last three scrimmages. He was able to make contested and step-back threes against opponents. Harden made basketball look easy against tough defenders. He even made sure his teammates were involved the entire game. Harden made sure the ball was rotated to find the correct shot for his teammates. He showcased his court vision by finding PJ Tucker or Ben McLemore for open looks in the corner.
Mike D'Antoni loved Harden's passion for the game against the Memphis Grizzlies. The Rockets were down by seven with the Grizzlies leading 87-79 at the end of the third quarter. D'Antoni wanted to take Harden out, but he refused because they were down.
Beard coming up big tonight! 🏀 31pts 🏀 9ast 🏀 8reb 🏀 5 3s ✔️ Win https://t.co/vPZsT3njE6— Houston Rockets (@Houston Rockets) 1595818015.0
"I tried to [take] James out with about four minutes to go, but he wouldn't have any of it," D'Antoni said Sunday night. "He wanted to play and win. That's the type of person he is. He's such a competitor."
Harden was able to lead the Rockets to a 119-104 victory over the Grizzlies. He finished the game with 31 points and nine assists.
𝗡𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹. 😤 https://t.co/G43dz3QiNM— Houston Rockets (@Houston Rockets) 1596036312.0
Harden is more than capable of leading the Rockets to better seed with Russell Westbrook on his side. He is ready for the noise to stop by playing great basketball. He'll have his first opportunity Friday night against the Dallas Mavericks.
On the eve of Houston's opener, James Harden has this message for #Rockets fans back home: "We bringing it back to… https://t.co/g2rlNkhZ1N— Ben DuBose (@Ben DuBose) 1596146960.0
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Marcell Ozuna hit his major league-leading eighth homer and Orlando Arcia’s RBI single in the 10th inning lifted the Atlanta Braves to a 5-4 win over the Houston Astros on Wednesday.
It completes a three-game sweep of the struggling Astros and is Atlanta’s fourth straight victory.
The Braves scored two runs in the eighth inning to tie it at 4-4. Michael Harris II started the 10th as the automatic runner on second and there was one out in the inning when Seth Martinez (1-1) intentionally walked Matt Olson.
Ozuna lined out to right field to send Harris to third base. Arcia then singled on a ground ball to left field to score Harris and put the Braves on top.
Pinch-runner Jake Meyers was on second when Kyle Tucker walked with no outs in the 10th. Meyers moved to third on a fly out by Yainer Diaz but Jeremy Peña grounded into a double play to end it.
A.J. Minter (3-1) got the last two outs of the ninth for the win and Raisel Iglesias earned his fifth save.
Reigning NL MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. added his first homer of the season to help the Braves to the victory. Ozuna also leads the majors with 23 RBIs and he extended his hitting streak to 16 games, which ties his career best and is the longest active streak in the majors.
Yordan Alvarez and Mauricio Dubón both homered for the Astros, who fell to 6-14 and are last in the AL West.
There was one out in the first when Alvarez connected on his homer to the seats in left field to put Houston up 1-0.
Ozuna opened the second with his 432-foot shot to left field, which bounced off the wall and tied the game.
Acuña put the Braves up 2-1 when he sent the first pitch of the fifth inning to straightaway center field.
The Astros tied it on an RBI single by Alex Bregman in the fifth and Kyle Tucker’s RBI double came next to put the Astros up 3-2.
Dubón hit his first home run of the year off Jesse Chavez to start Houston’s sixth and push the lead to 4-2.
Harris singled to start the seventh before a ground-rule double by Austin Riley. Olson reached, and Harris scored on a fielding error by first baseman José Abreu when he couldn’t grab a routine ground ball.
There was one out in the inning when Riley scored on a sacrifice fly by Arcia to tie it at 4-all.
Houston starter J.P. France allowed four hits and two runs in five innings.
Max Fried gave up seven hits and three runs in five innings.
UP NEXT
Braves: Atlanta is off Thursday before opening a series against Texas on Friday night with LHP Chris Sale (1-1, 4.58 ERA) on the mound.
Astros: Houston is also off Thursday before ace Justin Verlander will make his season debut Friday night against Washington. The three-time Cy Young Award winner opened the season on the injured list with inflammation in his right shoulder.