James Harden couldn't be happier at the thought of Chris Paul re-entering the picture during his historic scoring-spree. "I'm just happy to see him back on the court. He spent so long working out and trying to get his body healthy and right as well," Harden told the media after securing the W against the Raptors last night. And he's totally right, Chris Paul will undoubtedly help him shoulder the load, even at the cost of his numbers falling back to Earth.
Tim MacMahon of ESPN is reporting that Chris Paul is all but certain of returning to the Rockets' lineup on Sunday versus the Orlando Magic. A source closely associated with Rockets' management said that Paul is at "almost 100" in his conditioning, not 98 or 99.. Paul's left hamstring injury was a strain on the Rockets' waning playoff prospects until teammate James Harden kicked it into high gear.
With Paul out of the lineup the Rockets, led by "The Beard," have gone a respectable 12-5, bringing their record to 28-20 in the process, after sitting in the NBA cellar for the first couple months of the season. Unfortunately, the Rockets will still have to make do without center Clint Capela, who is out for another month with a torn right thumb ligament.
