James Harden played a basketball game in Philadelphia on Wednesday night for the first time since he was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers. Harden ended up getting the last laugh over his old team, because while it required a comeback and no-calls that frustrated the home team, Los Angeles was able to pick up a 108-107 win.
Because he is a person who left Philadelphia under less than ideal circumstances, Sixers fans booed Harden during pregame introductions and while the game happened. And after things finished up, Harden got asked about the boos, telling the press that he expected it, wasn’t sure why fans booed him, and suggested that they don’t know why they were booing him, either.
Clippers star James Harden shares his thoughts on returning to Philadelphia, the fans booing him tonight and whether things can ever be mended with Daryl Morey. #Sixers #Clippers @KYWNewsradio pic.twitter.com/SDdnmiXniq
— Dave Uram (@MrUram) March 28, 2024
“I expected it,” Harden said when asked about Sixers fans booing him. “I really don’t know what it’s about, but I expected it. So, it is what it is. I don’t even know why they were booing, I don’t think. If you ask them, they probably don’t even know why they were booing.”
Harden requested a trade from the Sixers at the start of the offseason, and while the Clippers were long viewed as the favorites to make a deal happen, a deal did not come to fruition until October, when Harden, P.J. Tucker, and reserve big man Filip Petrusev were sent to Los Angeles for a collection of picks and players. The time between his request and the eventual deal did get a bit messy, particularly when Harden called Sixers executive Daryl Morey a liar and vowed to never be part of the same organization as him.
During Wednesday night’s win, Harden had 16 points on 6-for-15 shooting with 14 assists, five rebounds, two steals, and a block.