Morey: 'It's a joke' to get on Harden for Game 6

A 39-point blowout loss in Game 6 at Toyota Center to the San Antonio Spurs that eliminated the Houston Rockets from the playoffs was arguably James Harden's worst performance of the entire season. The All-Star guard didn't even attempt a shot until there was 6:19 remaining in the second quarter, finishing the night with 10 points and six turnovers in 36 minutes of action.

Rockets general manager Daryl Morey acknowledged that Harden didn't exactly set the world on fire Thursday, but that doesn't mean he's ready to pile on the 27-year-old like the rest of the basketball world seems to be doing.

"Obviously he had a tough game, but, to me, it's a joke to get on him," Morey told the media Friday.

Morey went on to add that "the guy who's hardest on James is James," and that no one on the roster is more disappointed about how the Rockets' postseason run turned out than he is.

Related - Harden: 'I take responsibility' for Game 6 loss

With the way the team was assembled, the Rockets relied heavily on Harden to not only put up points, but also to run the offense. He finished second in the Association during the regular season in points per game (29.1), third in total minutes (2,947), first in assists (11.2), and fourth in usage rate (34.2), as Houston scored 7.1 fewer points per 100 possessions when he wasn't on the floor.