James Harden in 'Good Place' After First Practice in Orlando

The Rockets aren't quite at full strength as they await Russell Westbrook's arrival in Orlando, though their roster certainly feels more complete following James Harden's first practice on Thursday. 

Harden joined the Rockets for practice at the ESPN World Wide of Sports on Thursday, two days after he arrived in Orlando. Neither Harden nor Westbrook joined Houston's flight on July 9, and no date has been set for Westbrook's arrival. But with Harden now on the floor, the Rockets are finally beginning to resemble their usual selves. And it appears as though Harden was ready from the outset on Thursday.

"[Harden] looked good, he was rusty for about 30 seconds" Rockets head coach Mike D'Antoni told the media via Zoom on Thursday. "Today he went through the full practice like everybody else. ...I'm really pleased."

Harden assessed his practice performance on Thursday night. The 2017-18 MVP said he was in a "good place," noting Thursday's practice was his first time playing 5-on-5 in over a month.

"It felt really good to be with the guys getting after it," Harden said on Thursday. "I think the world knows no matter what's going on James Harden likes to hoop. And he's a competitor. "

Harden had no restrictions during Thursday's practice, per D'Antoni. He is slated to appear in Houston's first scrimmage on July 24, and his status for the Orlando opener is no longer in doubt. 

The three-time scoring champion said he missed the Rockets' first week in Orlando due to "family issues." Harden said he is excited to now be with Houston, and ready to finish the season after extensive offseason workouts.

"As I get older, I have to make sure my conditioning is where it needs to be in order for me to perform," Harden said. "For me, basketball is natural. I feel comfortable no matter what, even if I take a month or two off. The biggest thing for me is conditioning. I was mostly running, weight lifting, I did a little bit of yoga for flexibility." 

Harden is in his 11th NBA season and his eighth with Houston. He is leading the NBA in scoring at 34.4 points per game, on track for his sixth top-five MVP finish in the last seven seasons.

The Rockets currently sit No. 6 in the Western Conference at 40–24. They will resume the regular season on July 31 against Luka Doncic and the Mavericks. Tip-off is slated for 8 p.m. CT.