Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni: James Harden 'looked good' in first practice

One of the big questions NBA teams are facing in Orlando is figuring out whether their players have stayed in shape after four months away from the game. Fortunately for the Houston Rockets, that was not the case for James Harden, who wowed coach Mike D'Antoni during the team's first practice in the bubble.

"He looked good," D'Antoni said. "He probably was rusty for about 30 seconds, and then he was back."

This should come as no surprise for anyone familiar with Harden, as the former MVP has worked tirelessly for his career to become the most efficient scoring machine possible. He is on pace to win his third straight scoring title, averaging 34.4 points per game.

"I think the world knows, no matter what's going on, James Harden loves to hoop," said Harden. "He's a competitor, so today in practice we got after it."

Now, the Rockets just need the second part of their superstar duo back in order to be ready to make a title run. Russell Westbrook remains self-quarantined outside of the bubble after he tested positive for coronavirus. He's an essential part of the Rockets' success, as he contributed 27.5 points, eight rebounds and seven assists per game in his first season with the team. Harden is confident once they get Westbrook back, the Rockets will be ready to take down anyone.

"Once we get Russ back and we've got our full roster healthy and we get in shape like we need to be, we can compete with anybody," Harden said.

The Rockets are firmly in the playoff picture, as they are currently tied with Oklahoma City for the fifth-seed in the Western Conference.