The Rush: Rockets game postponed after Harden chooses partying over playing
Houston’s game versus Oklahoma City was postponed when the league ruled that James Harden was unavailable, Jayson Tatum gave the new NBA season its first game-winner, the Washington Football Team fined Dwayne Haskins and stripped him of his captaincy, and Deshaun Watson offered to pay his teammates’ fines after they attended the opening of his new restaurant. PLUS: Lefty’s Cheesesteaks will pay your rent, James Harden throws one hell of a farewell tour, and Juju Smith-Schuster has danced his final logo jig.
Video Transcript
- Here we go. Tatum-- Giannis switches onto him. Tatum and Antetokounmpo, the superstars. Step-back 3 on the way. Oh! It banks in! Jayson Tatum puts Boston on top!
JARED QUAY: The champs might have got their rings on Tuesday, but yesterday the NBA tipped off for real, for real. And while it was great to see a night full of treys--
- --and got a lot of arm. Russell for the 3-- yes!
JARED QUAY: --dishes--
- He lobs it. Aaron up high!
JARED QUAY: --and dunks.
- Morant off the backboard, and he slams!
JARED QUAY: The biggest story was about the action that didn't happen. Houston and OKC were supposed to start their seasons last night. Instead, the game was postponed after the Rockets couldn't dress enough players, and we now know why.
- Oh, OK.
JAMES HARDEN: [INAUDIBLE].
- Open it.
JARED QUAY: That is James Harden at a party on Monday. ESPN said it was at a strip club, but Harden denied that. Wherever he was though, he wasn't wearing a mask. So the NBA ruled him unavailable. The team had to postpone the game, and the Rockets fired him $50,000. In other words, the James Harden farewell tour is off to a great start!
The Washington Football Team didn't just fine Dwayne Haskins for violating COVID protocol. They also stripped him of his captaincy. Pun definitely intended. Get the strip?
JuJu Smith-Schuster also had to make amends. His pregame dancing had become a distraction. So--
JUJU SMITH-SCHUSTER: For the betterment of, you know, myself and my teammates, I'm going to stop, you know, dancing on the logos.
JARED QUAY: Good to hear. Because the Pittsburgh receiver spent yesterday throwing sexist insults at 49ers Javon Kinlaw. He could still use a little bit more betterment. He could also learn a thing or two from Deshaun Watson.
See, the Texans quarterback opened the doors to his very own restaurant in Houston last week. But after his teammates came to the opening night party, they got fined. So yesterday, Deshaun made it right.
DESHAUN WATSON: I had to take care of it. You guys were just showing love and support and really just enjoying the food.
JARED QUAY: Yep. You heard it right. If you eat at Lefty's, you get a cheesesteak, you get fries, and the owner will take care of whatever fines you incur. Let me get a cheese steak, the curly fries, a milkshake, and my rent paid for next month. Oh, oh, and my condo too.
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