James Harden Said Making Jamal Murray Fall After A Vicious Stepback ‘Caught Him Off Guard’

James Harden enjoyed himself on Monday evening. The reigning NBA MVP carved up the defense of the Denver Nuggets over the course of 40 minutes and, in the end, Harden finished with 32 points and 14 assists to lead his team to a double-digit victory over an impressive foe.

While his performance was noteworthy in itself, Harden also captivated fans with a memorable highlight, as he made Nuggets guard Jamal Murray fall before converting a four-point play in the second quarter.

As with many Harden maneuvers, this one was perfectly suited to shock and awe, to the point where he was prompted about what transpired the next day.

It is pretty clear that Harden was looking back on the moment with some level of pleasure, as he offered a sly smile while answering the question here. In some ways, it is hard to blame him, as Murray did, in fact, fall in a sharp manner that isn’t often seen by high-level NBA guards and the end result netted four points on a single possession.

Still, it is definitely interesting to hear Harden say what he said in a frank manner and he didn’t seem to be terribly “off guard” in launching from beyond the arc.