The team is clearly on edge. That was no more evident in the Rockets' newly renovated, state-of-the-art, $7 million locker room where Harden had a contentious verbal exchange with a longtime media member who asked about his 14-of-47 (29.8 percent) shooting mark in this series.
Harden flatly said he wasn't worried about his offense.
"It's basketball," Harden said. "You're going to miss shots. It's basketball, that's it."
The interview session moved on, Harden calmly answered additional questions from other reporters. The Rockets' line of flat-screen TVs scrolled through the team's statistical ranks on the season, including their defensive efficiency rank of 13th. Harden focused on the Rockets' defense as their downfall in Game 2.
"I'm not worried about my offense, I'm worried about our defense -- our defense as a team," Harden said.
A few minutes later, the questions stopped coming, but not before Harden, evidently still aggravated, circled back and spun the questioning to the aforementioned reporter, taking issue with his basketball credibility.
"You've never seen someone shoot 29 percent in two games? You must not watch basketball."
The longtime reporter responded that he'd watching basketball longer than Harden had been alive. And that Harden should be held to a higher standard because he is All-NBA.
"Weirdo," Harden said, before walking out of the room once Houston's PR staff stepped in.
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