The Los Angeles Lakers open up the 2016-2017 NBA season with a difficult matchup against the Houston Rockets. Not only does the contest present the return of Mike D’Antoni, who took over as head coach of the Rockets this summer, but it also will also be the first regular season game the Lakers will play in 20 years without Kobe Bryant on the roster.
Bryant’s absence will certainly be noticeable, but the current Lakers squad represents a mix of veterans and young talent that hope to lay the foundation for a successful future. Harden mentioned to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle that even without Bryant, the Lakers will pose a formidable challenge:
“They have a lot of young, really, really good talent over there,” Harden said.