“We Just Need Him”: Rockets’ James Harden Reiterates the Importance of Russell Westbrook

Russell Westbrook reunited with James Harden after he missed the initial 4 games of the first-round series. Brodie didn’t have an insane stat line, but his presence was more than enough for the Rockets. Rockets defeated Westbrook’s former team by a gigantic gap of 34 points in Game 5.

It was none other than Harden who carried the team on his back. The Beard scored an impressive 31 points in just 28 minutes and tormented the Thunder defense all game. In fact, Harden was perfect from the line for the opening quarter.

James Harden and Russell Westbrook got the job done for Houston Rockets

The dynamic duo of Harden and Westbrook played together for the first time in the 2020 NBA postseason. James, on his part, is delighted with his return. In the post-match conference, Harden had nothing but praise for his all-star teammate.

“Extraordinary, we know what he brings to the table, he brought that energy, he brought that excitement that we were missing and we just need him. Obviously, he is our leader and we all know what he does for the game of basketball, for our team, so it was exciting to have him out there,” said Harden.

Houston played incredible defense in game 5. James Harden made some comments about his team’s defense as well.

“I thought tonight we did it defensively, we were active, we were engaged especially in that second half from the beginning. We did a better job of guarding the ball, guarding their isos, and trying to protect the paint. I think we did a good job individually taking on the challenge, and then our weak side defense was better as well.” added Harden.

Furthermore, Harden was asked what plays a bigger role for their team. He answered:

“Defense played the bigger role, it’s always going to play the bigger role, I think offense and making shots is a bonus for us,”

With a Game 5 victory in the bank, the Rockets are in a comfortable position in the series. If they bring out the same level of determination and defense in Game 6, the series is practically over.

If Westbrook gets back in rhythm in Game 6, it will be a nightmare for the Thunder defense. Additionally, OKC is on the verge of elimination, which might distract their players in such a crucial game.