Down 3-1 to the Los Angeles Lakers, the Houston Rockets need James Harden to be more assertive.
Addressing reporters on Friday, Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni hinted that the All-Star guard would have to play more aggressively, per Salman Ali of ESPN 97.5. D’Antoni said Harden had the right approach to double teams but added that “there are some times he needs to be a little bit more selfish.”
Harden was mostly invisible in Houston’s Game 4 loss to the Lakers on Thursday, recording just two made field goals. He seems to be struggling with passivity ever since Russell Westbrook returned to the lineup. The Lakers have also done an excellent job on Harden defensively.
The Rockets still believe they can come back to win the series. But for that to even be remotely possible, Harden probably has to go into takeover mode.
