Look out, NBA. Houston Rockets star James Harden could return in only a few days.
Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni said Sunday that Harden may play as early as next week, with two potential target days, per Tim MacMahon of ESPN.
Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni says James Harden (hamstring) could return as soon as Thursday against the Timberwolves or Saturday against the Warriors. https://t.co/OprONb25Th
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) January 14, 2018
Harden has been sidelined with an injured hamstring for the last couple of weeks. The Rockets, meanwhile, have still been winning games, save for a hiccup here and there.
It was recently reported that Harden could return to action in about a week. That timeline looks to have been true.
The Rockets currently sit at second in the Western Conference and have won three straight games, all without Harden. Chris Paul has taken over the point guard duties since Harden has been injured, and he's doing just fine.
For drama's sake, it'd be best if Harden made his return Thursday against the Minnesota Timberwolves. That way, he'd already have a game under his belt and a couple more practices to gear up for Saturday's matchup against the Warriors.
If Harden were to come back only against the Warriors, he may be rusty in a game that will be watched by thousands upon thousands of people, including those around the NBA who want to see these two teams face off.
Regardless of when he comes back, the Rockets need Harden to be healthy if they want any chance of beating the Warriors at some point in the playoffs. The Rockets should be vying for that No. 1 seed in the Western Conference to secure home court, too, and they'll need Harden.
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