PHILADELPHIA – So life goes on after James Harden.
That, in essence, is what the Nets showed Thursday night in Philadelphia as they shut down their former teammate and posted a stunning 129-100 win over what had been a surging 76ers team.
Exactly a month after forcing his way out of Brooklyn, Harden forced up a bunch of terrible shots as Kyrie Irving set the tone with some flypaper defense in the first quarter. Harden had his worst game with the 76ers scoring just 11 points and shooting 3-for-17.
The Nets never trailed, led by as many as 35 points and turned the home crowd against the home team as 76ers fans who showed up to boo Ben Simmons wound up booing their own team.
The loss was the 76ers' first with Harden on the floor. Heading into Thursday’s game, Harden had been nothing short of spectacular since forcing his way out of Brooklyn. The second-place 76ers were 5-0 in their first five games with Harden on the floor and he was averaging 24.6 points and 12.4 assists.
The Nets were led by Kevin Durant’s 25 points and seven assists. Irving scored 22 and former 76er Seth Curry added 24 points and shot 10-for-14.
Harden missed 11 of his first 12 shots. The one shot he did make – a 26-footer in the middle of the first quarter – pushed him past Reggie Miller for No. 3 on the all-time three-pointers made list with 2,561. That, however, would be the only history worthy moment for Harden or the 76ers.
MVP candidate Joel Embiid led the Sixers with 27 points. He shot just 5-for-17, though, as the 76ers shot just 32.6% against a team that is not exactly known for its defense.
The much-hyped matchup was played on the one-month anniversary of the blockbuster deal that sent Harden to the 76ers for Simmons, Andre Drummond and Curry.
The city of brotherly love was quick to embrace Harden, whom they hope can team up with Embiid to push the team to a championship.
Just off the freeway a mile from the arena, a large billboard flashes "Thanks Ben For Bringing Us Harden. According to the Philadelphia Business Journal, Harden’s 76ers jersey is the top seller in the NBA since the trade. A restaurant in Center City had a drink called the "Harden High Ball" on special Wednesday night.
It’s no surprise then that all the stops were pulled out Thursday night as Harden and the Sixers faced the Nets, his former team. Sixer royalty Allen Iverson and Julius Irving sat baseline and the team even had Dr. J ring the bell before the start of the game.
Both teams expected to be contenders at the start of the season, but the Nets have struggled because Irving’s unvaccinated has kept him from playing home games and a knee injury that caused Durant to miss a month and a half.
While the Nets are in eighth place in the East and appear headed for a play-in spot, the Sixer with Joel Embiid playing at a MVP level have the second-best record in the conference.
The Nets were the Vegas favorite to win it all at the start of the season as the combination of Harden, Irving and Durant was seen as one of the most talented in the history of the game. The Big 3 were special when they played together, posting a 16-3 record in parts of two seasons. Yet, Durant made it clear before Thursday night’s game that he holds no ill will against Harden for breaking up the Big 3.
"When you look at it from his perspective, Ky’s not playing and then I’m injured," Durant said after the Net win in Charlotte. "He hasn’t won a championship before. So he’s looking at it that he’s 32 years old. [He’s] looking at himself, wanting to make a decision to get on a team that can get him to that – contending, being one of the last team’s standing. So you look at his perspective, you just say it is what it is."
Or maybe, it isn’t.
