That’s right, what most NBA fans thought what happened, probably did happen. James Harden told Mike D’Antoni to get CP3 out of Houston. Here what is reported by Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated and Zach Lowe of ESPN discussed on the The Lowe Post podcast:
I really want to go watch that last game, because I’ve heard talk about body language and James maybe not running up and down the court or them barking at each other.
Lowe:
On the bench. That story is going around, that there was a lot of bench barking.
Spears:
The one thing that I heard, which I will say this, because I have to preface it, that I have to see to believe, but from one rumor – I’ve got to put exclamation point before I say it, right? I don’t know this is fact. But I was told that James ran up to Coach D’Antoni and put his hand over his mic – because D’Antoni was mic’d – and told him, “We’ve got to get Chris out of here.”
Lowe:
Out of the game?
Spears:
No.
Lowe:
Out of here here?
Spears:
Out of here here.
Wow. Absolutely crazy. Another thing, it was probably James Harden’s “bright” idea to bring in Russell Westbrook. This duo isn’t going to work just like how the James Harden and Chris Paul duo didn’t work. Chris Paul did not play well in Houston, that isn’t the problem here. We knew that CP3 decline was inevitable and coming soon. But the issue is that James Harden doesn’t play well with anyone. In my opinion, he is a basketball cancer like Carmelo Anthony.
The similarities between the two are way too eerie. James Harden is better than Carmelo ever use to be. But let’s think about it. Carmelo didn’t play well with others. Neither does James Harden, obviously. Carmelo worried more about stats than actually winning. So does Harden. Neither has had much playoff success nor will they because of their playstyles. Carmelo Anthony and James Harden are just good TV. I’m not saying Chris Paul deserves a pass, his play wasn’t good from the start, but it’s almost impossible to play with James Harden, Chris Paul just had to deal with the repercussions of it is all.
