WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — NBA scoring champion James Harden continues to deal with pain after being hit in the face but expects to start in Saturday’s playoff game when his Houston Rockets face Golden State.
Harden was struck in the face by Draymond Green in the first quarter of Houston’s game two loss to the Warriors, which left them trailing the reigning NBA champions 2-0 in the best-of-seven Western Conference second-round series.
“Still there, still tough,” Harden said of the pain. “I can see y’all a little bit better so that’s all that matters.”
Harden suffered bruises in both eyes and a cut on the inside of his left eyelid. He went to an eye doctor in Houston on Wednesday and tests showed no cornea damage.
“I went to the doctor yesterday,” Harden said. “He said I would be good.”
Harden took part in practice Thursday with the Rockets and despite complaints of blurry vision in game two scored 29 points on 9-of-19 shooting, his most accurate outing of the playoffs.
“If I played barely seeing last game,” Harden said, “What makes you think I’m going to sit out game three?”
© Agence France-Presse