NBA: How will Harden, Westbrook late arrivals affect Houston Rockets in bubble?

Last offseason, the Houston Rockets pulled off a trade that dealt all-star playmaker Chris Paul to the OKC Thunder in exchange for NBA MVP Russell Westbrook.

In the process, Westbrook reunited with his former Thunder pal James Harden in red and white this time.

So far, it’s been quite a so-so season with the two together, as the Rockets are only 6th in the Western Conference with a 40-24 record.

And with the NBA about to restart at the end of the month, Westbrook testing positive for coronavirus (COVID-19) was the last thing the team needed.

Harden didn’t join the team’s departure as well for the Orlando bubble; the pair instead traveled to the bubble at a later date to unite with their teammates.

A source tells our NBA Insider @ShamsCharania that Rockets star James Harden is feeling fine, working out and may travel with Russell Westbrook to Orlando when Westbrook clears from coronavirus. pic.twitter.com/O8CsLBxGJK

— Stadium (@Stadium) July 14, 2020

Which leads to: how ready are the Rockets for the playoffs?

What’s important for Houston right now is its seeding; they could be up for a first-round meeting with the Los Angeles Clippers, Denver Nuggets, Utah Jazz, or even the Thunder.

As fans know, the team relies on their two superstars for success.

Westbrook averages 27.5 PPG, 8 RPG, and 7 APG this season; but he has already missed 11 games and the Rockets only went 6-5 during those games.

Harden, meanwhile, is norming a league-high 34.4 PPG on top of 6.4 RPG and 7.4 APG.

The two usually take turns when it comes to the facilitating load. Without either of the two, the Rockets’ offense and efficiency drop.

If the Rockets are to advance deep into the post-season, both stars will have to be in top form.