"Imma bust your a**" - Stephen A. Smith questions James Harden's partying habits after he got disrespected by Kyrie Irving on his own court

The Philadelphia 76ers, since James Harden’s acquisition, have been rolling. They are 9-3 in the games where “The Beard” played. In such a short time, there have been times when the 76ers have looked devastating against any NBA opponent.

Harden’s entry has unlocked parts of Philly’s game that they haven’t had in a very long time. The former Brooklyn Nets star is a virtuoso in the pick and roll and has excellent passing and reading of the game. His presence has greatly improved the 76ers’ chances of winning the title this season.

Despite all of that, Stephen A. Smith, in an episode of The Pivot, is not giving him a pass after his humiliating performance against Kyrie Irving.

“James Harden is bigger, James Harden is stronger. He’s a four-time league scoring champion, he’s a former league MVP, who got called out by another superstar [Irving] in the league who called him [Harden] washed up."

"He then showed up in your house and said essentially, ‘Imma bust your ass.’ And then did it! When that happens to you and you go out partying, the fans ain’t gonna love you that much no more.”

In that game, a fired-up Kyrie Irving personally guarded Harden and made the former MVP a non-factor. Harden’s reputation of wilting when the game is at its most intense didn’t improve after lamely finishing with 11 points on a horrific 3-17 shooting from the field.

The veteran sports analyst explained why called out the 76ers’new superstar after reports came out that Harden partied with a few of his rapper friends:

“What I was saying to James Harden was, ‘I’m not holding it [partying] against you.’ Please understand you’re less than a week removed from saying, ‘I love Philadelphia. It’s my kind of town, it feels like home.’"

"I was saying to him, ‘that ain’t gonna last if you play like that and you partying.’ It was a warning to him from someone who knows Philly! If he was in Utah, I may not have said that.”

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Stephen A. Smith defines the difference between Allen Iverson and James Harden

Philly fans are expecting nothing less than the same gutsy performance from James Harden the way Allen Iverson showed back in the day. [Photo: Fadeaway World]

While Philly basketball is the topic, Allen Iverson’s name never fails to come up. The iconic Sixer is beloved to this day because of what he brought to the City of Brotherly Love during his tenure with the 76ers. He epitomized the blue-collar style of Philadelphia every time he played on the court.

Per Stephen A. Smith, Allen Iverson lived the good life during his heydays with the 76ers, but there’s one big difference between him and James Harden.

“When Allen Iverson was in Philadelphia, ain’t nobody partied more than him. Here’s the difference. Allen Iverson usually performed and the brother had the heart of a lion. And we saw this miniature dude go into the land of the giants and challenge them every single night.”

Allen Iverson’s partying was well-chronicled. He was also a fierce competitor who proved his worth on the biggest NBA stage. “The Answer,” simply put, oozed with care when he was part of the 76ers' roster. He was clutch and carried the team on his back when it mattered the most.

While James Harden is physically more dominant than AI, he must show the same heart and guts that defined "The Answer's" career. Doing so could mean the difference between him getting the Iverson treatment or the Ben Simmons circus.

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