Draymond Green Recalls How Difficult It Was to Guard Prime James Harden

Draymond Green recently had Clippers’ Norman Powell as a guest on The Draymond Green Show. Towards the end of the episode, the Warriors veteran recalled his past battles with the Beard before asking Powell a few questions about James Harden.

Green and the Warriors have had a storied history with the James Harden-led Rockets in the NBA playoffs. The four-time All-Star, therefore, has fond memories of his matchups against Harden. But he acknowledged that it was challenging to guard the 10-time All-Star in his prime.

The 34-year-old also praised Harden for still playing at such a high level after all these years.

He said, “I’ve had a lot of battles with James Harden over the years, with James Harden playing like James Harden is playing this year.” Green has been impressed by the 35-year-old’s output so far this season at his age. So it’s understandable that playing against him when he was in his late 20s must’ve been a tough task for Green.

“So you can imagine, six years younger and playing how he is playing this year,” Green added. The four-time NBA Champion also stated that after having his fair share of battles against Harden, he has developed a lot of respect for the 2018 MVP. He said, “Crazy. Crazy battles. Fun battles. Lot of respect for James.”

During his nine-year stint with the Houston Rockets, Harden gave the Dubs a run for their money in the postseason. The two teams met four times in the postseason from 2015 to 2019, the Warriors came out as victors on every occasion. They have a 16-7 record all-time against Harden’s Rockets.

But Harden’s numbers are undeniable. He had played 32 games against Green, averaging 25 points, 8.4 assists, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.8 steals.

Draymond Green and James Harden have had some intense battles

Green and Harden have produced some memorable moments from their on-court battles over the years. The standard of their matchups used to be high and would often end up being extremely physical. One of the most memorable moments from their matchup would be the game at Oracle Arena in January 2019.

With the game in overtime, Harden’s Rockets were trailing by two points. They were at 132 to the Warriors’ 134. As the final few seconds were running out, Harden hit a three over Green and made it, bringing the total to 135-134. The Rockets ended up winning the game as Harden finished with 44 points, 15 assists, and 10 rebounds.

Despite all the wins and losses and being bitter rivals at times, Harden and Green have developed and maintained a healthy relationship with one another. Both the veterans have a lot of mutual respect.