NBA All-Star practice is usually all about fun, but for James Harden, stepping onto the court in Oakland wasn’t just another media session—it was a full-blown horror movie flashback. The moment he set foot in Oracle Arena, the memories hit him like a prime Draymond Green screen. Those battles. Those heartbreaks. Those gut-wrenching losses to the Golden State Warriors dynasty.

And Harden didn’t hold back. “Being in this arena gives me nightmares,” he admitted, shaking his head as if he could still hear the Warriors’ championship confetti falling. Throughout his career, Stephen Curry and the Warriors remained the team that caused Harden the most nightmares. Houston Rockets repeatedly attempted to challenge Golden State each season by forming specialized rosters but the Warriors remained undefeated each time. Year after year Golden State made the playoffs.

“We literally created teams just to beat the Warriors,” Harden said. “And somehow, some way, they always ended up in the Finals.” The numbers don’t lie. Since 2014 through until 2019 James Harden met the Golden State Warriors frequently during playoff matches. The result? A brutal 7-16 record. The feeling of coldness seemed to surround Harden whenever he entered this structure.

But Harden isn’t bitter—at least, not entirely. He couldn’t ignore the impact of the man who wrecked his championship dreams the most: Stephen Curry. “He’s changed the game from the way he… his aura. Obviously, his shooting, his presence,” Harden admitted.

Now with the Clippers, Harden is hoping this season’s story ends differently. L.A. is gearing up for a deep playoff run, sitting sixth in the West with a 31-23 record. The difference? This time, he’s got Kawhi Leonard by his side instead of going solo against a dynasty.

Kevin Durant’s Nostalgic Warriors Confession

While James Harden was reliving his worst nightmares, Kevin Durant was getting all up in his feelings about his Warriors days. The two-time Finals MVP stepped back into Oracle Arena and was immediately flooded with emotions.

“Brought back a lot of good, great memories,” Durant said, smiling as he looked around. “Being around this area, being around this arena, the fans, the energy—it all felt the same.” KD spent three seasons with Golden State and won two rings alongside Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond. He knows this building represents peak dominance—and stepping inside again, even for All-Star practice, brought back major nostalgia.

But here’s the twist—Durant didn’t even know All-Star practice was happening here. “I didn’t know anything would be up here at Oracle. I thought we’d be doing everything at Chase,” he admitted, surprised that the NBA brought players back to the old Warriors stomping grounds instead of the shiny new Chase Center.

Still, the nostalgia hit hard. “I’m getting real nostalgic right now,” KD admitted, his voice trailing off. “I’m going to try to just, yeah, I’m going to try to roam around the city a little bit. I don’t got a set schedule, but I got some stuff I want to see,” Durant revealed, showing that his connection with the Bay Area runs deeper than just basketball.

But as much as he cherishes those Warriors memories, Durant has moved on. Now with the Phoenix Suns, he’s focused on new challenges—like an upcoming game in Austin, Texas, where his journey first started. “Austin is a place where I kind of started this journey,” he said. “To have so many friends and family that’s still there from, what, 16, 17 years ago, is pretty sweet.”

Both Harden and Durant were shaped by their pasts—one scarred by Golden State, the other forever tied to its legacy. But now, the NBA is wide open, and these two legends have unfinished business. So the real question is: Will these memories fuel them toward another championship run, or will history repeat itself once again? Only time will tell—but one thing’s for sure, the second half of the season just got way more interesting.