During All-Star Weekend, Giannis took consistent shots at him:
Feb. 6: While drafting his All-Star team, and with Harden clearly the best player left, Giannis said he was between Kemba Walker and Trae Young, and “wants somebody that’s going to pass the ball,” eventually taking Walker.
Feb. 16: During the All-Star Game, Giannis hit Harden with a nasty elbow.
Feb. 16: Once the game was over, during his post game presser, Giannis said, unprovoked, “Offensively, we were just trying to find whoever James Harden was guarding. That’s who we thought we had an opportunity to score on.”
Alas, a true beef takes two, and we have Harden’s response, via an interview yesterday with The Jump:
“I have more assists than (Kemba Walker). So I don’t see what the joke is. I don’t even pay attention to stuff like that. I just know none of them can mess with me.” “I wish I could just run and was seven-feet and could just dunk. Like, that takes no skill at all. I’ve got to learn how to actually play basketball and how to have skill. I’ll take that any day.”
Two things:
Harden saying “I don’t even pay attention to stuff like that” is like us saying “We’re actually not interested in getting bought out by a big digital media company.” (Email us at read@thegrip.co.)
Harden has a right to be snappy. The disrespect for an MVP averaging 35-plus two seasons in a row for a consistently good team is unfair.
PS: Harden’s reaction the other day to a fan asking if anyone can guard him is great.
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