HOUSTON -- When Mike D'Antoni interviewed with the Houston Rockets last summer, he met with team brass once in Houston and again at owner Leslie Alexander's home in Delray Beach, Florida.
D'Antoni pitched an idea that would either make or break his job pursuit: If he became coach of the Rockets, he would move James Harden to point guard.
Harden had played seven NBA seasons at shooting guard and was coming off a season in which he set career highs in scoring (29 points per gane), assists (7.5) and rebounds (6.1).
But D'Antoni had been studying Harden's game and was convinced it was the right move to make.