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NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: WARRIORS vs ROCKETS

May 13, 2018

James Harden

Houston, Texas: Practice Day

Q. You and Klay Thompson go back so long, back to Artesia and Santa Margarita. He said you killed him back then. I don't know if you killed him back in the Pac-12. Tell me about the history of you two guys playing games that matter for years.
JAMES HARDEN: Yeah, since high school. We're from the same area, the division, just competing. Santa Margarita, I think my freshman year before he was even there, they beat us. So when he got there, they just continued to get better. We were growing at that time, and we've just been in a competitive battle from high school, college to now.

Q. How has that rivalry grown between you two guys from the beginning?
JAMES HARDEN: I don't even know if it's a rivalry. I just think it's two men now out of the same area who just grow and become some pretty good players in this league. Similar stories as far as nobody really gave us a chance, and we had to kind of make our way and find our way. He's one of the best shooters that we have in this game. It's a pretty good (indiscernible).

Q. There's no one that can really stop you, but what kind of job does he do?
JAMES HARDEN: Competitive. He's competitive. That's all you can ask for. He's competitive. He's going to keep going. Obviously he's a big-time shot maker. Just a competitive spirit is what makes him who he is.

Q. You knew Chris Paul as a person and as a competitor before the season, but what did you learn about him as a teammate this season?
JAMES HARDEN: He's just a great guy to be around. He really loves the game of basketball, and I don't know if I can say that about a lot of players, especially in the NBA. He studies film. He's at home watching games, he's calling me, Did you see that? Did you see what happened on that play? I'm like, Chris, I'm out right now. But he just loves the game. He loves watching it, whether it's NBA or college. He's a big, big competitor. Just happy to have him on this side and not the other side.

Q. (Indiscernible)
JAMES HARDEN: Every game, every series you've got to be better. You've got to learn from your mistakes and not make those mistakes twice because it can cost you a game, it can cost you a series. Obviously the Warriors have been here three years in a row. They're a whole different beast. Utah was a defensive beast. They got after you, just that whole aspect. Golden State can get hot at any given moment. Defensively they're active, and they do a really good job of shot blocking. Whatever we do, our moves and everything has to be strong and aggressive.

Q. They've been on the biggest stage for three years going. What makes you think that you guys can match them on this stage?
JAMES HARDEN: We're prepared. We've been preparing for this the entire season. Like you said, they've been here. But we're hungry. We've got a lot of guys individually that have been here on their own teams or whatnot, whether it's Chris or Eric [Gordon] or Trevor [Ariza], who's been there. You've got a lot of guys who are hungry and want to get back there. This is the perfect opportunity that we've been preachin about all year.

Q. You've been preparing for this the whole season.
JAMES HARDEN: Yeah, in order to be the best, you've got to beat the best. We know what's at stake, we know what's in front of us and we're ready for it. We've got to go out there, accept the challenge and do what we've been doing all year.

Q. Why do you think people sleep on Clint Capela after all he has done for you guys?
JAMES HARDEN: I don't know. Why do you think people sleep on the Houston Rockets, period?

Q. Does he epitomize how people sleep on you guys as a team?
JAMES HARDEN: Exactly

Q. How important was it to get P.J. [Tucker] and Luc [Mbah a Moute] in terms of being able to match up with the Warriors?
JAMES HARDEN: Not just match up with the Warriors but just for our team. Those guys are vets who have been in the league a pretty long time, and they're really versatile. The way the league is going nowadays, you've got to be able to do multiple things, and they fit that very well. We're happy to have them part of our team and they're another reason why we're in the position we are today.

Q. Draymond Green gets chippy with seemingly every opponent. Why do you think that is?
JAMES HARDEN: As he should. It's the postseason.

Q. Why do you think he brings that out in opponents?
JAMES HARDEN: I don't know. But it's the postseason, and there's going to be some chippiness. There's going to be some controversy. What's the playoffs without that? We're ready for all that, though.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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