The NBA doesn’t have many rivalries to speak of. Or rather, that is a common misconception. Despite teams not sporting the same vitriol of yesteryears, players most definitely do. And no rivalry took quite the center stage like the one between James Harden and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Both at the peak of their powers, with an MVP award hanging in the balance, were duking it out. Whether it was intense matchups, errant hits, or cheap shots in interviews, nothing was off-limits.

With Giannis’ ascension to the top of the NBA rankings, the rivalry got put on ice. However, due to one comment from Kwame Brown, the rivalry might be back in full force. While explaining why he has Harden out of his top-5 shooting guards list, Brown would list just one primary reason.

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“No, cuz he only play one side of the ball…On offense [he is] but then he’s a liability on the other end. You got to the park, you got to guard your man. They ain’t picking you if you just going to shoot the ball every time. Y’all forgetting what the core of basketball, what it really is. You got to guard your man.” 

After the “run-and-dunk” man comments from The Beard, Giannis would respond by calling Harden a bad defender. Not only did the former Los Angeles Laker echo those sentiments, but he would use The Greek Freak as an example of a player who dominates on both sides of the ball.

His comments could quickly stoke the fire under both superstars. With their teams boasting nearly identical records, and strong contenders to the Finals, could we see a Giannis Antetokounmpo and James Harden Finals battle 5 years after their rivalry first got underway?

While that story continues to brew, Brown’s other admission also got people talking. Why is Harden not in the top-5 shooting guards debate?

Kwame Brown rekindles the old James Harden rivalry

NBA rankings are often a tough spot. However, one of the more widely accepted ones happens to be for the shooting guard position. Due to a top-3 featuring Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and Dwyane Wade, the debate isn’t all that tough. But, beyond those 3 names, the situation gets tricky.

Given Harden’s less-than-stellar playoff record, that could also factor into the whole debate. The 3 names usually seen at the top have a combined 14 rings to their name. In stark contrast, James has yet to make a Finals appearance in over a decade.

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Could a Finals run and Championship, made greater by ousting an old rival in Giannis, finally elevate James into these conversations?

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