Cleveland Cavaliers star James Harden made sure he was ready for Halloween before turning his attention to the Milwaukee Bucks. The veteran guard dressed as Bane from The Dark Knight Rises, bringing some personality to Cleveland's preparations for Saturday's matchup.
Harden's costume quickly caught attention after a shared photo, originally posted by the NBA star. He wore Bane's signature breathing mask, a brown coat with a thick shearling collar, and dark body armor underneath.
The outfit recreated the villain portrayed by Tom Hardy in Christopher Nolan's 2012 Batman film. Harden even posed with his head lowered, making the resemblance difficult to miss.
Halloween costumes have become a familiar part of NBA culture, with players regularly showing off their creativity before games. Harden joined the tradition with a look that required considerably more effort than a simple mask or jersey.
However, the Cavaliers have more pressing business ahead of them. Cleveland enters its matchup with Milwaukee looking to recover from Thursday's 114-111 loss to the Atlanta Hawks.
Harden scored 24 points against Atlanta, shooting 7-of-14 from the field. His performance wasn't enough to prevent the Cavaliers from suffering another early-season setback.
Article Continues BelowSaturday's matchup presents another challenge for Cleveland as it works to establish consistency. The Bucks will also be looking to build momentum in the opening stretch of the regular season.
For Harden, the Halloween appearance offered a brief moment away from the pressure of competing in the Eastern Conference.
His Bane costume certainly delivered the intimidation factor. Now, the Cavaliers will hope to bring some of that same energy onto the court against Milwaukee.