James Harden's frequent club visits affected his 2012 Finals performance: Kendrick Perkins

A few days, Miami Heat veteran Udonis Haslem called out James Harden – recently traded to the Brooklyn Nets – for his partying habits. Haslem spoke about Harden's trade not being possible because of his partying habits, which have often been called out, by fans or sometimes by experts. This time, Kendrick Perkins spoke up on Harden, talking about his 2012 NBA Final performance being affected due to strip club visits. 

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Kendrick Perkins on James Harden strip club visits affecting his NBA Finals 2012 performance

Even before Harden played for the Houston Rockets, he was associated with strip clubs and his frequent visits in between games. Recently, Perkins – who has played for the OKC Thunder – appeared on Showtime’s All The Smoke podcast. He spoke about why the then-bench player for Thunder had a bad series, blaming it on various visits to Miami strip clubs. 

Also read | James Harden’s ‘Party Habits’ ruled out Nets star's trade to Miami, says Udonis Haslem

Kendrick Perkins and James Harden comments

Perkins spoke candidly, about how they could not get a win no matter how hard they tried. "Russ and KD came to play, I had a couple double-doubles, Serge was doing pretty good but man James ain’t gives us sh*t and you know why". Perkins mentioned his visits to the club and how he had nothing to do in San Antonio. When they arrived in Miami, the frequency of Harden's visits increased. 

In 2012, the OKC Thunder played the Miami Heat for the Finals series. Harden had averaged 12.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.6 assists, shooting 37% from the field and 31% from the three-point range. The team lost to LeBron James and the Heat, while Harden had second-most turnovers on the team. 

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The same year, Harden moved to the Rockets. He played eight complete seasons with the team, before requesting a trade before the 2020-21 season began. Harden was unable to win a title for the franchise, leaving after the team's early playoff exit last season. Before his trade was announced, Harden had been called out constantly, most of it being due to the leaked video of him partying. 

The 31-year-old was criticized for his habits, some fans pointing out that he does not have it in him to lead a team. Harden missed games due to the NBA's health and safety protocols, also hitting back on social media for his trade. Now, the All-Star guard is playing with the Nets – who are considered title contenders with Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and The Beard on their team. 

Also read | Rockets stars Wall, Cousins confronted James Harden before infamous 'farewell' interview

(Image credits: James Harden Instagram)