Rockets vs Thunder: James Harden's defense sees Houston advance to semis, fans ask 'where's that slander now?'
James Harden didn't mince words in the post-game when he said, "Offensively I felt like shit. I couldn’t make a shot." But his defense was instrumental as the Rockets edged out Thunder 104-102 on Wednesday to book a semifinal date against the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday. Harden made some impressive defensive plays and one of them was his skirmish against Lu Dort in the final minutes of the game as the latter attempted to touch the ball to Harden who deftly avoided it.
"Excuse my language, but I couldn’t make a shot, turned the ball over, just doing everything that was not supposed to happen, but I just kept sticking with it. My teammates give me confidence throughout the course of games, and defensively I had to make a play... Dort had been knocking down some shots tonight, so I wanted to get out to him," Harden said.
Houston fans were a disappointed lot after Russell Westbrook and Harden's Game 6 performances, but the duo returned to save the team and get through to the second round of the playoffs. "Where that harden slander now???? #NBAPlayoffs #harden #okcthunder", wrote one of the fans right after the game.
where that harden slander now???? #NBAPlayoffs #harden #okcthunder pic.twitter.com/gIwAoFqcto
— wet ice (@weticeee) September 3, 2020
His quote was the talk of the Twitter town. "Offensively, I played like shit." Thank you, James Harden, for blunt honesty on cable television," a fan opined.
"Offensively, I played like shit."
— Richard Deitsch (@richarddeitsch) September 3, 2020
Thank you, James Harden, for blunt honesty on cable television.
Celtics analyst Marc D'Amico had some questions: "Gotta give credit where credit is due: Harden & the Rockets locked up in crunch time. But can we talk about how OKC had about 10 chances to draw up a game-winning inbound play, and somehow wound up passing it to Steven Adams beyond the arc while he was going away from the hoop?"
Gotta give credit where credit is due: Harden & the Rockets locked up in crunch time.
— Marc D'Amico (@Marc_DAmico) September 3, 2020
But can we talk about how OKC had about 10 chances to draw up a game-winning inbound play, and somehow wound up passing it to Steven Adams beyond the arc while he was going away from the hoop?
"I don't think they're gonna play that well against the Lakers. Unless Gordon is actually back. But God, we deserve this Harden vs LeBron playoffs series," a fan tweeted.
I don't think they're gonna play that well against the Lakers. Unless Gordon is actually back. But God, we deserve this Harden vs LeBron playoffs series.
— Disney Gary Clark (@Itamar1710) September 3, 2020
For some, it wasn't really a great night. "Wasn't a fun night tbh. 1. Buds massive incompetence 2. Touch calls at the end of Bucks 3. Harden plays like trash and still gets a win 4. CP3 had the opportunity and ran from closing them out," a tweet read.
Wasn't a fun night tbh.
— break. (@NaptownBall) September 3, 2020
1. Buds massive incompetence
2. Touch calls at the end of Bucks
3. Harden plays like trash and still gets a win
4. CP3 had the opportunity and ran from closing them out.
We usually see greatness.
By the way, it looks like the Lakers are already the favorites to win the series. "Harden/Westbrook vs. LeBron/AD has the best star power of any 2nd round #NBAPlayoffs series in recent memory. I don't think the small-ball Rockets can protect the rim enough to beat the (well-rested) Lakers in a series."
Harden/Westbrook vs. LeBron/AD has the best star power of any 2nd round #NBAPlayoffs series in recent memory. I don't think the small-ball Rockets can protect the rim enough to beat the (well-rested) Lakers in a series.
— Cameron Songer (@CameronSonger) September 3, 2020
The Lakers vs Rockets series starts on Friday, September 4.