James Harden shoots back with resolute reply on facing 76ers fans in his return to Philadelphia after Daryl Morey saga
James Harden's stint with the Philadelphia 76ers ended bitterly after he called team president Daryl Morey a liar. Wednesday night's matchup between the LA Clippers and Philadelphia 76ers will be the first time that the 10-time NBA All-Star is returning to Philly since being traded on Nov. 1, and while many are waiting for any drama that might unfold during the game, Harden seems unbothered.
The Clippers (44-27), who have lost two in a row, are at risk of losing the fourth seed in the Western Conference. They are only half a game ahead of the fifth-place New Orleans Pelicans (44-28) and one-and-a-half games ahead of the sixth-place Dallas Mavericks (43-29).
Should they continue to lose games, they could end up dealing with a tougher postseason schedule. Harden might be more focused on stopping that from happening than his personal beef with Daryl Morey or the Philadelphia 76ers.
According to Clippers beat writer Tom Azarly, here is what James Harden said about his first game back in Philly in a different jersey:
"I don't know, and I don't care," Harden said. "We have bigger problems than me worried about Philadelphia."
James Harden is no stranger to being treated like a villain in an arena he used to call home. He's requested a trade from the last three teams he's played for (Houston Rockets, Brooklyn Nets and 76ers) and has drawn the ire of those fanbases as a result.
Also read: Fans roast James Harden after NBA insider reports former MVP felt he deferred too much to Joel Embiid
James Harden and the LA Clippers are at risk of falling out of the top six in the Western Conference
With the NBA's fairly new play-in tournament format, being among the top eight teams in a conference no longer guarantees a playoff berth. Instead, only the top six are guaranteed to have a spot, while teams seven through 10 have to battle it out in a single-game elimination tourney to determine who gets the seventh and eighth seeds.
With their Clippers going 4-6 in their last 10 games, their hold on the fourth seed is at peril. The sixth-place Dallas Mavericks are enjoying a late-season surge, winning nine of their last 10, including an active five-game winning streak. Meanwhile, the fifth-place Pelicans have gone 7-3 in their last 10.
Aside from these two teams, the seventh-place Sacramento Kings (42-30) also appear to be making a push in the final stretch of the season. They've won four of their last six.
With the Clippers trending downward while the three teams below them in the standings are going in the opposite direction, James Harden's focus on team success rather than the Philadelphia 76ers is the correct mindset.
The Clippers do not have long to rally or else they'll find themselves fighting in the play-in tournament.