Watch: James Harden headlocks former teammate Tyrese Maxey with Clippers down against 76ers
There could be some bad blood between James Harden and the Philadelphia 76ers. Fans should wait before the Beard plays his first game in Philly, as he is already defending his latest home against them. The 76ers are visiting the Clippers and, at the time of writing, Harden and his squad are being dominated.
During the game, Harden was boxed out by Tyrese Maxey under the basket. Maxey managed to seal his former teammate from the basket, which could be why Harden may have felt frustrated.
Maybe it was some bad blood from how Harden left Philly. Or maybe, it was just two guys who got locked in and played their hearts out. Or maybe, it was a bit of both. Regardless, Harden eventually put his former teammate in a headlock while trying to get past him.
Maxey appeared to be laughing or grinning as Harden released his hold. This could also mean it was just lighthearted fun between the two former teammates.
No matter what it was, fans will soon share their interpretations of the incident.
Another thing about the incident is that the referee closest to both did not blow a whistle.
Also read: Paul Pierce crowns James Harden bigger superstar than Clippers' 2x NBA champion for peppy reason
Tyrese Maxey's rise on 76ers after James Harden's exit
James Harden and Joel Embiid had formed a formidable duo that could have dominated the Eastern Conference had they stayed together. But Sixers' fans weren't too worried, as they felt Tyrese Maxey could fill Harden's shoes.
Maxey showed he was reliable as a scorer, while Harden was still the main ball-handler for the 76ers. He averaged 20.3 points per game, shooting 48.1% from the field and 43.4% from 3-point.
Maxey thrived as the primary ball handler in the Sixers offense this season. His assists jumped from 3.5 per game last season to 6.2 this year. He was even named to his first-ever All-Star team. His scoring improved to 25.8 ppg, although his efficiency slightly dipped.
Maxey has averaged 44.5% from the field and 37.2% from downtown. These numbers aren't a major drop from last year. They can be attributed to defenses focusing on Maxey more as Harden no longer shares the backcourt with him. They can also be attributed to Embiid's extended absences.