Rockets guard James Harden has only missed 29 of 492 games (5.89%) since he was traded to Houston. He’s logged a ridiculous 19,941 minutes in that time and when he was asked about possibly taking a rest day on NBA TV, he laughed it off.
“I like the grind,” Harden elaborated at practice the next day. “Obviously, it’s easier when you have fresh legs and you get rest and get ready to go play a game. Throughout the course of a season, you have those days where your legs are heavy and you don’t feel like getting up. It makes success that much better.”
Head coach Mike D’Antoni even told reporters that Harden has been dealing with serious neck stiffness.
“I know it’s bothering him,” D’Antoni said. “After the game, it bothers him for sure. He’s had it and what he had 57 (points)? 61?””
D’Antoni has told the media before that Harden doesn’t respond well to rest days. When asked about refusing to rest, Harden’s answer was fairly simple, but made all the more sense.
“I just like to hoop,” Harden said. “I’m not going to talk down on somebody who needs rest. I just love to hoop. If it’s not an injury and I can play, I’m going to hoop.”
Over the years, Harden’s played through multiple minor injuries whether it be neck pain, shoulder pain, or a sprained wrist. Harden’s been an iron man who’s refused to let minor ailments slow him down.
“His durability and his ability to be able to play with injuries or pain or nuisances is incredible,” D’Antoni said. “How he heals from one thing to the next in like a day or two is not normal.”
