In a head-scratching moment during the Los Angeles Clippers‘ 116-103 win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday night, James Harden became a legitimate prankster. With the Clippers on a comfortable 21-point lead in the third quarter, Harden averaging a respectable 15.8 points and 6.3 assists per game this season, decided to play a joke on his teammate, Kawhi Leonard.

The decision did not sit well with ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins (Harden’s old OKC teammate). The analyst, not known for mincing words, commented that with the Clippers struggling to find their rhythm lately (they were 34-28 at the time), “lightening the mood” perhaps wasn’t the wisest strategy. Perkins stated, “We’re in that point of the season where there’s no lightening the mood…this is a team that has been struggling, this is a guy that has a resume of struggling especially during this period of time.”

Leonard, a perennial All-Star averaging 26.8 points a night, found himself wide open in the corner for a three-pointer. But before “The Klaw” could unleash his signature shot, Harden, known more for his step-back threes than defensive hustle, inexplicably closed out and contested the shot. Leonard, understandably surprised, fell short on the attempt.

This bizarre play has had the world of the NBA buzzing. While Kendrick Perkins, held his opinion, Austin Rivers (another teammate one of his old teammates) called it the “Most James Harden-like play I’ve ever seen!”

James Harden Explains Logic Behind The Move

Harden, ever the comic relief, later explained his antics in the post-game presser, “Gotta bring some excitement to the team, you know what I mean I think these last few weeks have been fog for us. I think every team goes through it so it’s just me trying to create a good energy and a great vibe for this team and maybe it would’ve been better if he made the shot but give something to laugh about you know what I mean, some excitement for the season.” Whether Harden’s playful defense was a morale booster or a head-scratcher for his teammates remains to be seen.

Regardless, the Clippers secured the win, keeping themselves in the playoff hunt. One thing’s for sure, though, James Harden proved he’s not just a scoring machine, but also a master of keeping his teammates on their toes, even if it means momentarily disrupting the rhythm of a red-hot scorer like Kawhi Leonard.

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What do you think of the Beard’s unusual antics? Is this not the “correct time” to pull off such an act or is it never too late to lighten the mood? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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