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The Curse Of Lil B: Fans Blame Rapper For Houston Rockets' Bad Luck
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The Houston Rockets lost their second game in the Western Conference Finals Thursday night. Many fans believe rapper Lil B placed a curse on the team's best player, James Harden.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
MIKE BREEN: Topped to Howard, back to Harden, Harden tied up, knocked loose, picked up and the game is over. Golden State hangs on.
ROBERT SIEGEL, HOST:
The final seconds of game two of the NBA Western Conference Finals. Last night, the Houston Rockets suffered a heartbreaking one-point loss to the Golden State Warriors. The Warriors now lead the series two games to none.
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AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:
But what really caught our attention is the reason why fans believe the Rockets lost. They blame it on a dreaded curse.
SIEGEL: A curse on star player James Harden supposedly placed by rapper artist Lil B. As they see it, Lil B was upset that Harden stole the signature dance with moves that mimic stirring a pot.
CORNISH: So we called Lil B to find out if there was a curse.
LIL B: Yeah, James Harden was warned. He wasn't cursed, not right now. You know, for as of right now, it was just a friendly warning saying hey, this is the originator of the dance saying you just - what are you doing?
SIEGEL: OK, now, why should people believe that Lil B has the powers to put a curse on someone?
CORNISH: Well, fans point to the misfortune of another star player from the Oklahoma City Thunder. Here's what Lil B told us.
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LIL B: The only person cursed was Kevin Durant, and he's never been the same.
SIEGEL: Apparently, Kevin Durant disrespected Lil B on Twitter, and Durant has been out most of the season with a foot injury. Draw your own conclusions.
CORNISH: But Rockets fans, all hope is not lost. Lil B tells us that Harden can get the warning lifted.
LIL B: James Harden just has to come publicly and explain what he's doing and just show respect to real artistry. And I just want to know where his head's at and what he's thinking.
CORNISH: As for James Harden, we reached out to him to find out what he thinks about the curse and if he'll dare do that dance again.
SIEGEL: No word yet; game three is played tomorrow. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
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