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James Harden and the Brooklyn Nets handily beat the Oklahoma City Thunder in Sunday night’s game at the Paycom Center. The Beard, who had 16 points, 13 assists and 6 rebounds, caused the Thunder problems despite a poor shooting night.
Harden, who played his first three seasons in the NBA with OKC before being traded to the Houston Rockets, heard boos all game long.
When asked by reporters in a post-game interview about the reason for the boos, the 32-year-old was apparently clueless. Here’s his pointed reply to the question:
“I don’t know why... It wasn’t my fault.”
James Harden and Kevin Durant, the Brooklyn Nets’ leaders, were part of the young core of the OKC Thunder team that were perennial playoff contenders. They eventually peaked in 2012 where they lost the NBA Finals to LeBron James and the Miami Heat.
OKC and James Harden were unable to agree to a contract extension in the summer after the failed championship bid. The 2012 Sixth Man of the Year awardee was traded to the Houston Rockets.
For some reason, OKC fans still harbor animosity towards James Harden, even though he has been traded from the Houston Rockets to the Brooklyn Nets. The boos that Harden heard were surprising, considering that it was KD who was destroying the Thunder. Many OKC fans still consider Durant a traitor for bolting to the Golden State Warriors to play with former rival Steph Curry.
While it seems like the resentment and anger towards Kevin Durant have lessened, it’s apparently not the case for James Harden.
Have the Brooklyn Nets and James Harden finally turned a corner?
The Brooklyn Nets are 8-2 in their last 10 games. They are on another winning streak after losing badly to the Chicago Bulls on the latter’s home court. Instead of offense, which was supposed to be the Nets’ main strength, it has been their defense that is shining.
James Harden’s season is still somewhat uneven. After dropping 39 points and 12 assists on top of 11-18 shooting against the New Orleans Pelicans, the Beard struggled for the majority of the game against OKC. He hit only 1 of 8 three-point attempts and was 5-13 overall from the field.
James Harden has already said that he’s regaining his form. However, he has still not played on the level that the NBA is accustomed to seeing from him. Despite his somewhat shaky performance, he has been a big reason for the Brooklyn Nets’ resurgence.
