The Houston Rockets inevitably parted ways with Carmelo Anthony after 10 games of sample size proved enough of a poor fit with the organization. Franchise star James Harden gave his sincere thoughts on the matter after the Rockets pounced on the Golden State Warriors for a 107-86 victory on Thursday night.
“He’s one of my friends, great guy, great teammate,” said Harden, according to Mark Berman of Fox26 News. “It just didn’t work out. It’s part of the business.”
The Rockets knew they were taking a risk by adding Anthony into the mix, one that backfired very quickly into the start of the season as he failed to mesh with Mike D’Antoni’s offensive system.
Houston has also had woes of its own with defense and shooting efficiency through the early get-go, factors that escape Anthony’s blame for the team’s poor start.
Having won the last three games, the Rockets now sit at 7-7. Houston is hoping to recapture its dominance in the West, with other teams like the Portland Trail Blazers and the Denver Nuggets already making sizable leaps in the standings, ranking second and third in the conference, respectively.
Through a month of regular-season competition, only three teams in the West sit behind the .500 mark — a true testament of the conference’s strength. Meanwhile in the East, the Orlando Magic (7-8), who are one game below the .500 mark, currently hold the eighth spot in the playoff race.
The Rockets will keep Anthony away from the team until they figure out the right timing to cut their offseason acquisition, with rookie Gary Clark replacing the veteran in Mike D’Antoni’s rotation.
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