HOUSTON -- Just before the season opener tipped off, James Harden joined Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta in the middle of the Toyota Center court for what was billed as an MVP presentation. Harden's trophy was there, but after a video celebrating his MVP campaign played, Fertitta focused his intense energy on spinning things forward.
Microphone in hand, Fertitta hyped up Houston's hopes to claim a championship trophy -- an accomplishment he has said the Rockets were "a hamstring away" from last season, referring to the injury that sidelined Chris Paul for the last two games of the Western Conference finals after Houston took a 3-2 series lead against the champion Golden State Warriors.