OAKLAND, Calif. — When the Golden State Warriors eliminated the Houston Rockets in last year's Western Conference Finals, there was every reason to be optimistic about the future of James Harden and his team.
Houston had nearly reached the NBA Finals, falling to the eventual champs, after getting only a half-season from Dwight Howard and suffering other significant injuries up and down the roster. Harden had just finished second in the MVP voting, and Ty Lawson would come aboard for next to nothing in the offseason, further bolstering the roster and contributing to hopes of another step forward.