At long last, the NBA Playoffs are set. The Houston Rockets have been the NBA's best team practically from wire to wire, but they won't have an easy first-round slate. They'll square off with the eight-seed Minnesota Timberwolves, who defeated the Nuggets in overtime Wednesday night to clinch the final spot.
The Rockets' leaders have a lot to prove this postseason. Coach Mike D'Antoni and point guard Chris Paul will be on a mission to prove their reputation as guys who choke in the postseason is unmerited. No one, however, will have more eyes on him than James Harden, the likely MVP.
With Harden's prolific regular season wrapping up, the timing was right for a GQprofile. The piece dropped Thursday morning.
It includes a number of interesting anecdotes. Among the more fascinating notes: Harden is hesitant to eat in front of people he doesn't know. The reason? Food tends to get caught in his voluptuous beard.
"I get food in this shit all the time," Harden said. "Like, all the time. If it's people that I don't know, I won't eat around 'em. When I'm, like, going on blind dates, I'll wait till I get around people I actually am comfortable around, because then they'll tell me I have stuff in my beard. It kinda comes with it. If you wanna look as good as I do."
Picture James Harden going on a blind date. Now picture James Harden hesitantly eating on a blind date and getting spinach caught in his beard. Now picture yourself as James Harden's date, trying to figure out how to tell him he has spinach in his beard. Thank you, GQ.
Another interesting note from the story: Harden said NBA players' moms have a club of sorts. His mom will kick it with the mothers of players he doesn't even talk to.
"My mom—she hangs out with, like, moms of other players that I don't even talk to," Harden said. "There are mom meetings, things like that…No, I'm serious. Mom meetings. That makes me happy, 'cause they get to talk about their sons behind our backs. She deserves that."
If any mothers of the NBA happen to be reading this: please grant me access to just one meeting. I need to hear you roast your sons.
Game One of Rockets-Wolves will get underway in Houston Sunday at 9 p.m. EST.
