All-Star guard James Harden and veteran forward PJ Tucker each made their 2020-21 debuts as the Houston Rockets defeated the San Antonio Spurs in Tuesday’s home exhibition game, 112-98 (box score).
Harden scored 12 points and dished out four assists in 21 minutes. He was a bit rusty with a 3-of-10 shooting performance, but he had two steals and was actively engaged with teammates — showing no signs of any awkwardness after reportedly seeking a trade this offseason.
John Wall and Ben McLemore led the Rockets with 15 points each, while rookie forward Jae’Sean Tate impressed off the bench with 11 points (5-of-7 shooting) and seven rebounds in just 18 minutes.
Unfortunately, second-year guard Chris Clemons left early with what appeared to be a severe injury (reportedly a torn Achilles).
Here’s a look at the key takeaways and storylines from Tuesday at Toyota Center, complete with postgame quotes and analysis. For a second straight day, Harden was not made available to reporters.
