Houston Rockets: Tilman Fertitta talks MVP race and Harden in the postseason

Backcourt Chemistry

Tilman Fertitta told ESPN’s First Take that Harden and Westbrook won’t have problems developing chemistry.

“James and Russell go back to their early days in LA. They know each other, there’s a chemistry there, they can talk to each other. They can be bringing back the ball up the court and the other one can go to the bench and say ‘why in the hell did you bring it up like that, why didn’t you give it to me’ and no hurt feelings.”

Fertitta is spot on here. Russell Westbrook will mesh with Harden as they want to play together and have a longstanding relationship with each other. Their relationship actually goes back to their early days of playing basketball, well before their teens.

In speaking his thoughts on the acquisition, Fertitta interestingly offered a not-so-subtle jab at former Rockets guard Chris Paul. He mentioned how Westbrook and Harden can challenge one another without there being any hard feelings, which seems like something he wouldn’t say if that hadn’t been the case in past years. The Westbrook “fit” was certainly something the First Take crew was going to ask Fertitta, as there have been questions all off-season about whether Westbrook and Harden will be able to play alongside one another.

Next: Westbrook's Greatest Strength