Austin Rivers says there’s no talking between Harden, Giannis

“They don’t say a word to each other,” Rivers said of the on-court dynamic between the NBA’s last two MVPs. “They don’t talk any trash.”

The brewing rivalry between Houston Rockets guard James Harden and Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, who have won the NBA’s last two MVP awards, has been well chronicled.

But according to someone with a front-row seat, the situation between the two All-Stars isn’t as personal as it might seem.

In a new appearance on the Load Management podcast, Rockets reserve Austin Rivers framed the Harden-Giannis relationship as one defined by the extreme competitiveness of each player. Among his comments:

They don’t say a word to each other. They don’t talk any trash to each other. So it’s not like to the point where you’d be like, Man, these guys really hate each other.

I think they both respect each other a lot. They just won’t admit it because they’re both so competitive. … I think James is so competitive, that he just doesn’t like somebody that’s also getting MVP. And I think it’s the same way Giannis.

Since signing with Houston in December 2018, Rivers has played in four games featuring Harden and Antetokounmpo.

After a series of apparent jabs between the two stars in February, there have been signs of late that the icy relationship could be thawing. In March, Giannis identified Harden as the NBA’s hardest player to guard.

Then, following Sunday’s Rockets victory over Milwaukee, Harden turned back questions when asked about defending Antetokounmpo.

Both Harden and Antetokounmpo are projected to finish in the top three of this season’s MVP voting, as well.

For now, thanks in large part to a series of late defensive stops against Giannis, Harden secured the last word between the two. If the All-Stars meet again this season, it would be in the 2020 NBA Finals — and the intensity of their rivalry would be higher than ever.

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