James Harden was loudly booed every time he touched the ball, a reaction not heard in Philadelphia since—well, since Ben Simmons faced similar treatment just two nights earlier.
The 76ers brought back the past on Sunday night by wearing throwback uniforms to honor their old home, the Spectrum.
Their former players also made their return.
Simmons, a former No. 1 pick once seen as the future of the franchise, played with the Brooklyn Nets on Friday night, while Harden, now with the Los Angeles Clippers, had his own less-than-welcoming return on Sunday.
Both Simmons and Harden had been expected to lead the 76ers to deep playoff runs—and even a championship—but their promising starts with the team fell apart, leading to difficult and unhappy tenures, which ended with a sense of relief when they left.
Simmons struggled with his shooting, while Harden pushed for a new contract. Despite the different issues over the years, the same problems have continued for Philadelphia.
These days, the biggest issue is bad knees.
Joel Embiid and Paul George, who both signed massive contracts in the offseason, were out of the game with knee injuries. George had a left knee bone bruise, and Embiid had swelling in his left knee.
Even six-time All-Star Kyle Lowry, dealing with a hip strain, missed the game against the Clippers, watching from the sidelines with an oversized Philadelphia Eagles hat on.
Coach Nick Nurse said, “It’s certainly not ideal and not that easy to manage. But it is part of the game. Guys come and go all the time. There’s guys in and out, both sides of the ball. Again, I’m always disappointed for the player.”
The announcer went through the injury report, listing Embiid, George, and Lowry as out, with the crowd responding quietly, as they’ve grown used to missing stars.
It’s easy for Sixers fans—and the front office—to wonder what could have been if Simmons or Harden had stayed healthy and happy while playing alongside Embiid.
George was supposed to be the latest star to help Embiid bring the 76ers their first championship since 1983. But things have gone poorly so far, with George playing just eight of 16 games and Embiid only four.
Without them, the 76ers lost 125-99 to the Clippers, dropping to 3-13.
Embiid, wearing a blue 76ers sweatshirt and sweatpants, quietly talked to his teammates in the locker room.
“All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey said, “Kept trying to keep his spirits high. He loves basketball. He wants to play basketball every single day. If he could play all 82 games, every single game of the playoffs, I promise you, he would.”
Since he can’t, Nurse did what he could and started a lineup that included Kelly Oubre Jr. and Guerschon Yabusele in front of a crowd with many empty seats.
The good news, Nurse said, is that Embiid and George were both “progressing OK.” George, a nine-time All-Star, worked out on the court on Saturday. Nurse also mentioned that Embiid’s swelling was “looking better” ahead of more exams this week.
Embiid’s season has been difficult. The 30-year-old missed the entire preseason, was suspended for an altercation with a columnist, was called out by teammates in a private team meeting, and has fallen out of favor with fans tired of his constant injury uncertainty.
“As things go up and down, we’re all trying to keep things level,” Nurse said. “I think he has kept things pretty level. He’s been very communicative and seems to be OK. He understands that we’re trying to figure this out as we go here. He also understands the team’s not getting good results. So there is a lot to talk about.”
Clippers coach Tyronn Lue, who was an assistant coach on the U.S. team that won gold in Paris, declined to comment on Embiid’s health for the Olympics.
“I don’t know if he was supposed to be healthy or not,” Lue said. “He helped us win a gold medal, it’s all I know.”
At least the Sixers announced on Friday that Embiid would miss the Clippers’ game, which allowed fans to try to sell tickets for a cheap price on the secondary market.
One bright spot has been rookie Jared McCain, who has been a highlight for fans who bought those discounted tickets.
The Clippers, fresh off a 4-0 homestand, played without Kawhi Leonard, while other teams missing All-Stars for various reasons is becoming a regular part of the league.
For the 76ers, the challenge remains to find a way to deal with these absences.
“Almost all the time,” Nurse said, “we need to try something.”
