NBA: 7 big talking points heading into the 2019-20 season

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NBA Houston Rockets Russell Westbrook (Photo by Takashi Aoyama/Getty Images) (Photo by Takashi Aoyama/Getty Images) /

Russell Westbrook and James Harden’s chemistry

Both James Harden and Russell Westbrook were in the top 10 in usage rate last season, with Harden leading the league by an overwhelming margin. Russell Westbrook is certainly a generational talent, posting 20 points, 20 rebounds, and 21 assists in a game down the stretch of the regular season last year and averaging a triple-double in each of the last three seasons.

However, his teams have been defeated in the first round of the playoffs in each of the last three seasons, including the last two seasons in which Westbrook had Paul George as a running mate.

Will Harden defer to Westbrook or vice versa? Can they coexist and make a championship run? That will be one of the most closely watched storylines of the year and may determine whether the Rockets are finally able to get over the hump in the Western Conference or serve as the catalyst for a more comprehensive reconstruction of their roster.