The former Sixers player who came back to haunt the team wasn't the one who received all the boos from the crowd.
James Harden (right) of the Sixers goes past Nic Claxton of the Nets late in their game at the Wells Fargo Center on Jan. 25, 2023.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
James Harden, once again, turned out to be the 76ers’ savior.
Seth Curry, aka ‘Son in Law,’ since the Brooklyn Nets player is married to Callie Rivers, came close to destroying Doc Rivers’ night in what was an epic ‘Y’all-will-always-regret-trading-me’ game. A solid shooting night couldn’t keep Ben Simmons on the floor. And Joel Embiid was about to be disrespected by Nic Claxton.
The point guard is recently making a knack of bailing out the Sixers with clunch plays in the fourth quarter. And Wednesday was no exception.
The Nets (29-18), who shot 64.5%, battled back from a 14-point, fourth-quarter deficit to knot the score at 120 on a Curry three-pointer with 4 minutes, 6 seconds remaining.
But Harden responded with two stepback three-pointers in a span of 41 seconds to put the Sixers up, 126-122, with 3:07 left.
Then after Brooklyn pulled within two points with 45.2 seconds left, Harden responded with a driving finger roll ahead of Claxton on the ensuing possession. Harden scored eight of the Sixers’ final 17 points.
“Go get a bucket,” Harden said of the two stepback three pointers and later. “I had spacing. I got in my bag.”
Harden finished with 23 points on 6-for-12 shooting along with seven assists, three rebounds, two steals and one block to overcome a game-worst six turnovers. Sixteen of his points came after intermission on 5-for-8 shooting. He collected eight fourth-quarter points on 3 of 5 shooting.
Son in law’s big night
Of course, Simmons was the main attraction or, better yet, the main villain.
The Sixers fans booed him whenever he touched the ball, made a play or checked into the game. Folks in Philadelphia are still disappointed with the player that forced a trade to the Brooklyn Nets in February. However, it was Curry, another player the Nets got in the Simmons deal, who was the one torching the Sixers.
In the process, he made Rivers, his father-in-law and former coach, sweat.
Curry finished with a season-high 32 points while making 7 of 10 three-pointers.
Former Sixer Ben Simmons dunks as he warms up before the Nets take on the Sixers at the Wells Fargo Center on Jan. 25, 2023.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Ben Simmons (right) of the Nets talks with usher Eddie Robinson as he gets ready to warm up for their game at the Wells Fargo Center on Jan. 25, 2023.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Former Sixer Ben Simmons takes to the court to warm up before the Nets take on the Sixers at the Wells Fargo Center on Jan. 25, 2023.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Former Sixer Ben Simmons warms up before the Nets take on the Sixers at the Wells Fargo Center on Jan. 25, 2023.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Ben Simmons of the Nets during the national anthem at the Wells Fargo Center on Jan. 25, 2023.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Joel Embiid (left) of the Sixers and Ben Simmons of the Nets get tangled up during the first half of their game at the Wells Fargo Center on Jan. 25, 2023.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Joel Embiid (top) of the Sixers and Ben Simmons of the Nets get tangled up during the first half of their game at the Wells Fargo Center on Jan. 25, 2023.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Kyrie Irving (right) of the Nets maneuvers around Joel Embiid of the Sixers during the 2nd half of their game at the Wells Fargo Center on Jan. 25, 2023.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Joel Embiid of the Sixers dunks against the Nets during the first half of their game at the Wells Fargo Center on Jan. 25, 2023.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Matisse Thybulle (right) of the Sixers and Seth Curry of the Nets go after a loose ball during the 2nd half of their game at the Wells Fargo Center on Jan. 25, 2023.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
James Harden (right) of the Sixers goes past Nic Claxton of the Nets late in their game at the Wells Fargo Center on Jan. 25, 2023.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Tyrese Maxey of the Sixers celebrates after hitting a 3-pointer against the Nets late in their game at the Wells Fargo Center on Jan. 25, 2023.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Tyrese Maxey of the Sixers celebrates after hitting a 3-pointer against the Nets during the 2nd half of their game at the Wells Fargo Center on Jan. 25, 2023.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
James Harden (right) of the Sixers and Nic Claxron of the Nets go after a loose ball during the first half of their game at the Wells Fargo Center on Jan. 25, 2023.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Seth Curry of the Nets after a3-pointer against the SIxers during the first half of their game at the Wells Fargo Center on Jan. 25, 2023.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Seth Curry (left) of the Nets goes up for a shot past Joel Embiid of the Sixers during the 2nd half of their game at the Wells Fargo Center on Jan. 25, 2023.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Joel Embiid (right) of the Sixers and Ben Simmons of the Nets square off during the first half of their game at the Wells Fargo Center on Jan. 25, 2023.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Tyrese Maxey (right) of the Sixers scores over Seth Curry of the Nets during the first half of their game at the Wells Fargo Center on Jan. 25, 2023.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Joel Embiid (center) of the Sixers scores between Nic Claxton (left) and Yuta Watanabe of the Nets during the first half of their game at the Wells Fargo Center on Jan. 25, 2023.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Ben Simmons (right) of the Nets drives against P.J. Tucker of the SIxers during the 2nd half of their game at the Wells Fargo Center on Jan. 25, 2023.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Ben SImmons (center) of the Nets goes up for a basket between Montrezl Harrell (left) and Georges Niang of the Sixers during the 2nd half of their game at the Wells Fargo Center on Jan. 25, 2023.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Ben Simmons (left) of the Nets dunks against Montrezl Harrell of the SIxers during the 2nd half of their game at the Wells Fargo Center on Jan. 25, 2023.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Ben Simmons (right) of the Nets scores against P.J. Tucker of the SIxers during the 2nd half of their game at the Wells Fargo Center on Jan. 25, 2023.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Ben Simmons of the Nets shoots over Monttrezl Harrell of the SIxers during the 2nd half of their game at the Wells Fargo Center on Jan. 25, 2023.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Ben Simmons (right) of the Nets drives to the basket against Montrezl Harrell of the SIxers during the 2nd half of their game at the Wells Fargo Center on Jan. 25, 2023.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Kyrie Irving of the Nets drives down court against De'Anthony Melton of the Sixers during their game at the Wells Fargo Center on Jan. 25, 2023.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
P.J. Tucker of the Sixers expresses his anger with a call during their game against the Nets at the Wells Fargo Center on Jan. 25, 2023.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Joel Embiid of the Sixers jokes about a foul call during their game against the Nets at the Wells Fargo Center on Jan. 25, 2023.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Joel Embiid (left) and P.J. Tucker (right) of the Sixers batlle Nic Claxton of the Nets for the ball during their game at the Wells Fargo Center on Jan. 25, 2023.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Eagles great Donovan McNabb is acknowledged during a timeout in the game between the Sixers and the Nets at the Wells Fargo Center on Jan. 25, 2023.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Joel Embiid of the Sixers has the ball stripped by Royse O'Neale of the Nets during the first half of their game at the Wells Fargo Center on Jan. 25, 2023.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Joel Embiid of the Sixers goes past Joe Harris of the Nets for a basket during the 2nd half of their game at the Wells Fargo Center on Jan. 25, 2023.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Joel Embiid (left) of the Sixers does a celebration dance after scoring against the Nets during the 2nd half of their game at the Wells Fargo Center on Jan. 25, 2023. De'Anthony Melton is right.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Kyrie Irving (right) of the Nets maneuvers around Joel Embiid of the SIxers during the 2nd half of their game at the Wells Fargo Center on Jan. 25, 2023.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Joel Embiid of the Sixers raises his arms to the crowd after their victory over the Nets at the Wells Fargo Center on Jan. 25, 2023.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Shake Milton (left) of the Sixers greets Ben Simmons of the Nets after their game at the Wells Fargo Center on Jan. 25, 2023.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Shake Milton (left) and assistant coach Sam Cassell (right) of the Sixers greet Ben Simmons of the Nets after their game at the Wells Fargo Center on Jan. 25, 2023.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
Coach Doc Rivers of the SIxers greests his son-in-law Seth Curry of the Nets after the game at the Wells Fargo Center on Jan. 25, 2023.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer
“I wanted to just smack him,” Rivers said of Curry. “I’m not kidding, either. I was going to go over and see my grandkids on Sunday. Now, I’m rethinking that now from that performance. He was great. I mean, he made every shot.”
But Rivers knows that’s how players are when they come to face the team that traded them.
“No matter if it was a good trade or bad trade, they want to kill you,” Rivers said. “And he did that tonight. So I get that.”
No close out action for Simmons
Simmons had a somewhat solid peformance against his former team. He scored 12 points on 5-for-7 shooting along with five rebounds, five assists and blocking a Joel Embiid shot. The 43.4% foul shooter also made 2 of 3 foul shots. If there was a blemish, it was his being a game-worst minus-16 in 28 minutes, 42 seconds.
But as good as he shot, Simmons watched the final 8:57 from the bench. And the Nets actually battled back from the 14-point deficit with him out of the game.
“So if you’re thinking about being aggressive, you will be aggressive,” Brooklyn coach Jacque Vaughn said of Simmons sitting late. “If you think about being a good teammate, you’ll be a good teammate. If you think about competing and playing hard, you do those things. You become what you think about.”
Asked how he stomached sitting down the stretch even though he had played well, Simmons said it is what it is.
“That’s coach’s decision,” he said. “I can’t really control that. Obviously for myself, I want to be out there.”
But was the message from Vaughn why he didn’t close out the game?
“I really ain’t had no message from him,” Simmons said. “But I think it’s more just whatever team needs to win. If we’re winning I have no problem with it; but if we’re losing then I’ve got an issue with it.”
Embiid’s not having it
Embiid and Claxton received double-technicals with 3:12 left in the first quarter. Claxton said something to Embiid, who became agitated and had to be separated from the Nets player.
“He said something that he shouldn’t have,” Embiid said. “That’s why I walked up to his face, I told him to say it to my face again. That’s why he looked away and he didn’t say it again, because he knows why.
“But there’s not a lot of times when I get in those situations. But I’m not going to allow any sort of disrespect. And that’s why he couldn’t say it to my face, again.”
Best performance: This goes to Curry in a losing effort. His was the most-dominant player on the floor.
Worst performance: I had to give this to Georges Niangs. The Sixers reserve forward was held scoreless on 0-for-2 shooting.
Best defensive performance: This was a tough one because De’Anthony Melton had a career-high three blocks to to go with one steal But Kyrie Irving was able to score at will when Melton guarded him. So Matisse Thybulle gets this on a night he record three steals. He did a solid job of guarding.
Worst statistic: This goes to Embiid’s shooting after intermission. The five-time All-Star made just 2 of 7 shots in the second half, going 0-for-3 in the fourth quarter.
Best statistic: This goes the Sixers making 35 of 36 foul shots (97.2%).
As the Sixers beat reporter, I provide daily coverage, perspective, a social media presence and long-form takeout pieces about one of the NBA's young emerging teams.
