HOUSTON — When Montrezl Harrell was new to the Rockets last season, he found that there was a learning curve. But rather than merely adjusting to life in the N.B.A., which can be difficult enough on its own, Harrell struggled with something that seemed much more fundamental: catching James Harden’s passes.
“Oh, man,” Harrell, a reserve forward, said. “I was getting hit in the chest. I got hit in the legs. I got hit in the head. That’s the way it goes.”
Harden, who emerged this season as a top candidate for the N.B.A.’s Most Valuable Player Award, has long been known for his scoring.