Houston Rockets: James Harden claims that he can’t be stopped

James Harden of the Houston Rockets claims that there isn’t much that opposing defenses can do to stop him, and he’s right.

James Harden is off to the best start of his career.

The Beard is averaging a league-leading 31.6 points and 9.9 assists to go along with 4.8 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game. James is also averaging a career-high and league leading 4.5 3-pointers made per game on a career high 40.4 percent from beyond the arc.

And the Rockets are feeling the effects of Harden’s stellar play.

Houston has a 13-4 record, which is tied with the Warriors for first place in the West. The Rockets are also averaging 112.6 points per game and they’re ranked ninth in defensive rating (102.6). And Chris Paul, who shook the NBA universe when he requested a trade to Houston over the summer, has missed all but three games.

Opposing defenses have sent everything at Harden to slow him down, but the star claims that their efforts are futile, via ESPN’s Tim MacMahon.

“I’ve seen it all the last few years. Ain’t nothing they can do about it.”

James Harden is extraordinarily confident, and that’s great for his game and for the Rockets. Harden is just as valuable to his team as any other superstar in the league, and he knows it. The Beard has a very legitimate chance at winning the MVP Award this year after finishing in second place last year.

Next: 3 reasons why James Harden is the MVP this season

But more importantly, Houston needs Harden playing at an MVP level heading into the playoffs. By then, the Rockets should have a great team chemistry. And if everyone is healthy, the Rockets have enough talent to compete with any team in the West. The Houston Rockets will go as far as James Harden takes them, and from the sound of it, he’s ready to lead his team to the promise land.