In the days leading up to his return to Philadelphia on Wednesday, James Harden wasn’t eager to speculate about how he might be received by his former home crowd, as Law Murray of The Athletic writes, telling reporters that he “didn’t care” and that he was more concerned about helping the Clippers get out of their recent slump.
Harden accomplished what he set out to on Wednesday, finishing with 16 points and 14 assists in a 108-107 win over the Sixers. He was on the receiving end of plenty of boos from the Philadelphia faithful over the course of the evening and admitted after the game that it didn’t come as a surprise. However, he also contended he didn’t understand the motivation for those boos.
“I expected it,” Harden said, according to Murray. “They don’t know what it was about. But I expected it. So it is what it is. I don’t even know why they were booing, I don’t think. You ask them. They probably don’t know why they were booing.
“… For me, personally, I feel like I did everything I needed to do in the sense of, in the year prior, taking myself off of the max to help the team get better,” Harden continued. “For this city, you know what I mean? And for myself, obviously. But to win a championship. So things didn’t work out. I wanted to get paid. They weren’t talking. So it is what it is. You move on, everybody’s happy, life is good. And I mean, everybody’s looking forward.”
Harden accepted a $33MM salary rather than picking up his $47MM player option in 2022/23, but the boos on Wednesday suggest that move didn’t earn him enough goodwill in Philadelphia for Sixers fans to forgive and forget his decision to demand a trade a year later.
Harden, who blasted Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey last summer due to his belief that Morey failed to keep certain promises, replied, “Hell no” on Wednesday when asked if he believes he’ll ever reconcile with the veteran executive, per Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Harden also said he hasn’t stayed in touch with 76ers star Joel Embiid.
Here’s more on the Sixers:
- The Sixers’ loss on Wednesday was a controversial one, with referee crew chief Kevin Scott admitting after the game that a foul should have been called on a drive to the basket by Kelly Oubre on the game’s final play, according to Tim Bontemps of ESPN. Oubre and head coach Nick Nurse expressed their frustrations to the game’s referees after the final buzzer and had to be pulled away by assistant coaches (Twitter video link). Oubre apologized to the refs during his post-game media session for “losing his cool.”
- Nurse told reporters prior to Wednesday’s game that he’s optimistic that both De’Anthony Melton (back) and Robert Covington (knee) can return before the end of the regular season, tweets Derek Bodner of PHLY Sports. Of the two, Covington is closer to getting back on the court, according to Nurse.
- Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer is skeptical that the Sixers’ reported interest in Paul George will result in the star forward ending up in Philadelphia, writing that it looks more like a leverage play as the free-agent-to-be discusses a new deal with the Clippers.
- In case you missed it, Nurse also discussed Embiid’s recovery from knee surgery on Wednesday.
Refs definitely wanted the clippers to win the last minute of the game. Painfully obvious.
George was shoved in the back on a layup at the other end just prior and nothing was called. Unless it’s an obvious foul don’t try to decide games at the FREE throw line! Let um play!
When the people in the TV booth keep saying ‘minimal contact’ after every questionable foul you have to wonder. Oubre’s wedgie was 100% a foul and there should have never been a jump ball/change of possession. Then the refs admitted there was a foul on the very last play, so yeah Gobert was right!
So sad they let refs determine games by not making easy calls like one missed at end of game.
George was shoved in the back on a layup just prior and that was a no call so let um play we can’t have these games decided at the FREE throw line!
Paul George??? Leverage play??? Leverage for what??? You are either offering a full max contract, or you are not offering a full max contract. Paul George needs no leverage with the Clippers, or anybody else.
Kawhi Leonard, who’s a year younger than George, signed a three-year extension (rather than four) worth a little less than the max. Would imagine the Clippers want a similar deal with George.
Harden actually coming off as smarter than the average Philly fan…which isn’t saying much.
Harden demanded to be traded. Him not understanding why he is being booed I would not consider intelligence. Him not showing up mentally or physically in game seven against Boston doesn’t garner sympathy either.
Harden doesn’t realise declining stars get paid less than the max…
Or that he’s been in decline for years now…