Harden in focus as NBA playoffs bring The Beard back to Oklahoma City

Oklahoma City Thunder center Kendrick Perkins, left, and forward Kevin Durant, center, laugh as they watch the first quarter of an NBA basketball game between the Thunder and the Milwaukee Bucks in Oklahoma City, Wednesday, April 17, 2013. Thunder guard Derek Fisher sits at right. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki) (The Associated Press)

Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant, left, and guard Jeremy Lamb, right, react during the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game against the Sacramento Kings in Oklahoma City, Monday, April 15, 2013. Oklahoma City won 104-95. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki) (The Associated Press)

The Beard is back.

After getting traded to Houston at the end of training camp, James Harden had a feeling he might be meeting up with his former Oklahoma City Thunder teammates when the NBA playoffs rolled around.

Sure enough, his Rockets will open the postseason Sunday night at Oklahoma City.

Harden spent his first few years in the league building friendships with Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and others on the Thunder but says "it's all business now."

Durant had a similar sentiment, saying so much has changed since Harden was shipped off in October. The Thunder moved on with Kevin Martin taking over Harden's sixth man role and earned the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference playoffs.

Harden led Houston its first postseason in four years.