"In the third quarter of Tuesday's 91-88 loss against Indiana, Oklahoma City rookie James Harden dribbled into the frontcourt and was swarmed by Pacers hopefuls Trey Johnson and Anthony Smith, getting the ball ripped away and losing possession.

Harden immediately threw himself to the floor and atoned for his mistake, tying up Johnson and then winning the ensuing jump ball. It's that attitude and hustle that landed him in Oklahoma City, endearing him to GM Sam Presti and his front office staff. The 20-year-old Harden is a fighter, making him the perfect fit for a team trying to carve out an identity as an intense, defense-oriented outfit that will fight you for every inch. Diving on the floor for a loose ball is nothing alien in a summer league setting, but the guys typically doing it are chasing contracts and hoping to catch somebody's eye. Harden, who scored 19 points in his first career start for the Thunder, is virtually assured a spot in Scott Brooks' rotation. He didn't need to risk a floor burn, but felt he couldn't afford not to. "That's just about competing, playing hard and trying to win," Harden said. "I lost the ball, but got it back for us. I just want to win. I'm not setting any personal goals. Just winning.""