Anytime James Harden returns to Oklahoma City, we’re all in for a competitive game. Even though most ill-will towards Harden is long gone, the bad blood between the OKC Thunder and Rockets runs deep. But the Thunder-Rockets matchup has changed drastically over the past couple years, so the scouting reports are a bit different than what we’re all used to.
Both teams enter the game nearing the All-Star break in a fairly similar situation. Neither team had an ideal start to the season but were brought back to life thanks to the efforts of their respective superstars.
Star power plays a big role in this matchup, as James Harden is the current scoring leader and the early favorite for MVP, while Paul George is fourth on the scoring list and a dark horse for MVP.