Stephen A. Smith Rips James Harden For Performance Against Brooklyn Nets: “Kyrie Did That, James Harden Didn’t Show Up”

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Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

James Harden and Kyrie Irving became unlikely teammates in January 2021 when Harden was traded from the Houston Rockets to the Brooklyn Nets to create one of the most offensively potent ‘Big Three’ we have ever seen.

However, a season and a half of injuries and COVID took its toll enough for Harden to ask out of Brooklyn, with a key reason being Kyrie’s unwillingness to get vaccinated. The messy relationship finally ended with Harden being traded to the Philadelphia 76ers for Ben Simmons on Feb 10, exactly a month prior to the first matchup between the new-look Nets and Sixers.

The Nets comfortably beat the 76ers with Kyrie Irving playing phenomenal defense on James Harden, holding Harden to the worst performance in his early 76ers career. ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith tore into Harden for his performance.

“The brother picked up James Harden from the opening tip. Tip-off time came and Kyrie Irving was guarding James Harden. They were getting in positions to double James, but Kyrie was like ‘ get away, I got him’. All of this noise you’re hearing about what transpired between the two in practice may be true. I dismissed it until Thursday night. James Harden, this is not a good night for you. When you see somebody step up and go like this ‘it’s me and you now, what’s up’, Kyrie did that. Harden didn’t show up.”

While the report of Harden and Irving having an intense 1-on-1 in practice while teammates have been proven false by the very source it came from, this game definitely had a lot more animosity to it. 

Irving’s performance was sensational and Harden has to continue battling the question of whether he can turn up in big moments. Hopefully, we can get a playoff series between the two teams to answer some of these questions. 

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Ishaan Bhattacharya is a content manager for Fadeaway World from New Delhi, India. With his expertise in NBA content creation, Ishaan brings a wealth of experience to his role, contributing to the site's authority and reach within the basketball community. Over the last year, Ishaan has interviewed Ray Allen and Mark Tatum, while also covering the 2023 NBA Abu Dhabi Games which saw the Dallas Mavericks take on the Minnesota Timberwolves.Since joining Fadeaway World in March 2022, Ishaan Bhattacharya has become known for his unique perspective on the NBA. He consistently delivers this insight through his daily news coverage and detailed opinion pieces on the most significant topics in the league.Before his tenure at Fadeaway World, Ishaan worked in corporate communications, where he serviced prominent sports brands, including NBA India, Sports18, Amazon Prime Sports, and Royal Challengers Bangalore. This experience in strategic communications for leading sports entities has enhanced his ability to craft impactful narratives and connect with a global audience.A true MFFLer (Mavs Fan for Life, for the uninitiated), Ishaan is a massive fan of the Dallas Mavericks. When he is not upset about Jalen Brunson walking in free agency, you can see Ishaan as an avid gamer and content creator. His passion for basketball extends beyond the Mavericks, as evidenced by his thoughtfully curated NBA Mount Rushmore, featuring LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Bill Russell—each representing distinct eras and bringing their unique qualities to the game.Featured On: ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Bleacher ReportYahoo Sports, NBA, Fox Sports, The Spun
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