the Raptors win the first run but the entertainer was called James Harden

They were there at the Saitama Super Arena in Tokyo with their new Larry O'Brien trophy logo embroidered on the collar. The Raptors have even won the first of two games against Houston relocated at the NBA Japan Games 2019. But Japanese fans have mostly been able to attend the show of James Harden and the first baskets of Russell Westbrook in his new colors.

It was exactly 117 days since we had not seen Pascal Siakam and company on the floor. However, Marc Gasol has not yet had time to lower his blood alcohol level and quietly relaxed with his buddy Kyle Lowry at the end of the bench. It must be said that Big Spain has still won a World Cup in between but this is not really the question. This first release of Raptors version 2K20 was interesting in many ways and after 48 minutes pre-season can already answer a few questions. Already, Drake did not make the trip to the host city of the next Olympic Games to give a massage to Nick Nurse and the public had to settle for his tubes which is not bad in itself. Then Calorie was quietly digesting her post-contract holiday meal (apparently it was sushi) but we've already felt a change of role for Spicy P in the systems put in place by the Canadian coach. The Cameroonian will no longer have the ball in his hands and will even show us what it is worth in iso this season. In any case, he left to be the boss of the group and did not disappoint with his 24 points, 11 rebounds and 4 assists at 7/16 shooting including some very distant attempts with 5 turnovers. This is the pre-season and we will quickly make his small mistakes, especially since it allowed Toronto to do his special to clear 17 points behind and manage to win at this first of the season. At his side, Serge Ibaka was particularly clean and OG Anunoby was in the five major while on the bench it is mainly Chris Boucher and Terence Davis who showed themselves in very different ways. But in pre-season, we do not look much at the result and despite the defeat it is well on the side of Houston that there were the most interesting things to watch.

If you were at work or you preferred lunch at Tati Claudie's at noon, you missed the first minutes of James Harden and Russell Westbrook together with a Houston jersey on the shoulders. After a small, unobtrusive ambulation on the bench before the match that made us want to ask Cameron Payne to put on a black outfit to come check the Brodie, the two MVPs quickly took action on the Rockets side. Last but not least, since the beard was already at 21 points at the end of the first quarter. The guy did not have time and we saw especially the two former teammates of the Thunder alternating the possessions with the ball not to walk on it. At first a little lost waiting to swell behind the bow, the number 0 was quick to find its marks by taking his first habits on pick-and-roll with Clint Capela during its 21 minutes. The season has not started yet so he even had the courtesy to leave the rebounds in Switzerland to focus on the three-point sprinkler without much success (1/6). Too bad because next door the Sixth Man of the Year 2012 has ensured the show by targeting the poor Rondae Hollis-Jefferson twice. First with a small bridge that clearly exceeds the boundaries of respect and then with an indefensible home stepback to the buzzer of the half-time. Thanks for being here, the return plane can already light up its engine to Narita because RHJ will clearly want to hide after that. The rest of the starting five consisted of Eric Gordon, P.J. Tucker and Clint Capela for what should be the final set this season. In the substitutes, Thabo Sefolosha celebrated his contract with a pretty perfect shooting and already good things in defense while the rookie Chris Clemons had a lot of play time to express himself in the second half. The un-drafted player could quickly scratch a contract in the NBA even if it may be a bit fair in Space City where needs are mostly on the wings.

🚨 BEARD NUTMEG 🚨#NBAJapanGames pic.twitter.com/dakVbihwWV

– NBA TV (@NBATV) October 8, 2019

Harden and Westbrook, it's not just our memories or the dreams of some fans, it's very real in Houston. The Rockets will still have three games to make their last adjustments before the start of the regular season including the first on Thursday for the rematch against the Raptors in Tokyo.