76ers fans don’t hold back, boo the beard off James Harden in his Philly return

Days after dodging the media following the first meeting between James Harden and the Philadelphia 76ers since he got traded to the Los Angeles Clippers after an ugly, well-documented breakup, the two met again, only this time they played at the Wells Fargo Center.

Harden may have been able to avoid speaking with Philly reporters when the game was in Los Angeles, but he had no way of escaping the wrath of roughly 21,000 angry 76ers fans, and they made sure to let him have it in his return to the City of Brotherly Love.

76ers fans let the boo birds fly in James Harden’s return to Philly

For someone who only spent two seasons in Philadelphia, Harden made a lasting impact on the fan base, considering how incredibly loud they booed him when he was introduced as part of the Clippers starting five.

After losing the first meeting on their home floor, Harden and Los Angeles exacted their revenge in Philly, narrowly escaping with a 108-107 victory over the 76ers and their hostile crowd.

Harden scored 16 points on 6-of-15 shooting, adding 14 assists, five rebounds, two steals, and a block in 39 minutes of action, helping the Clippers maintain their position as the fourth seed in the Western Conference standings.

However, Harden continued to make headlines and stir up controversy between him and his old team after the game, saying he hasn’t kept in touch with former teammate/reigning MVP Joel Embiid since being traded. He also expressed that his relationship with 76ers president of basketball operations has reached a point of no return after how things transpired.

Wednesday marked the last scheduled meeting between Harden and Philadelphia this season, barring a Clippers-Sixers NBA Finals matchup. This saga can be a captivating, intriguing, fun storyline if we get a best-of-seven series between two teams, especially with the Larry O’Brien Trophy at stake.