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Ex-Rocket On James Harden and Russell Westbrook, “They Will be Dangerous Matchups for Defenses”

(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Former Houston Rockets’ guard Cuttino Mobley thinks the Ball in James Harden’s hands next season because Russell Westbrook would be lethal off the ball.

“I would prefer James controlling the ball and Russell being an off guard, because he’s very dangerous I would think in that off-guard position,” said Mobley in an interview with Fanatics View. “It’s more going downhill and attacking guys.”

Rockets general manager Daryl Morey was recently on the RocketsCast Live podcast with Rockets play by play broadcaster Craig Ackerman.

During the podcast, the two talked about Westbrook, bringing up his ability to affect the game of basketball in different ways in his introductory press conference in Houston.

That was something that was interesting he brought up in his press conference, that he obviously did when he was with James in Oklahoma City and is something that he wants to get back to. It’s hard for James or Russ to conceive of cutting off-ball, because they’ve always had the ball.

During his ten year career in the NBA, Mobley averaged 16.0 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and a member of the 1998-99 All-Rookie team.

Last season James Harden averaged 36.1 points, 7.5 assists, and 6.6 rebounds per game, and finished second in the 2019 MVP race.

 

“They’re ballers,” Mobley told me about Westbrook and Harden. “They know how to play the game. Both of them can pass well. When you have two guys like that who are athletic and can score easy, it’s always a dangerous matchup for the defense.”

Recently, I spoke with Gilbert Arenas about the current players, who remind him of the way he played in the NBA. Arenas replied, A mixture of James Harden and Damian Lillard.

“I would have to say a mixture of James Harden and Damian Lillard James Harden possesses what I was doing with the ability to hit the long ball and he can get to the free-throw line. There was a state that I set and it’s the ability to shot over 600 free-throws and over 200 threes in the same year. James Harden added himself to that list and Russell Westbrook did too. I did it in 06-07, James Harden achieved it in 14-15, and Russell Westbrook in 16-17.”

The Houston Rockets acquired former league MVP Russell Westbrook from the Oklahoma City Thunder back in July In exchange for Chris Paul and draft picks. Westbrook averaged  22.9 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 10.7 assists per game as a member of the Thunder last season. He also averaged a triple-double for the third straight season. Before Westbrooks achieved the feat for the first time back in 201, it hadn’t been done since Oscar Robertson in 1961-62.⁠

What do you think?

Written by Landon Buford

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