“Disgraceful” – NBA Twitter SLAMS James Harden for ELBOWING Royce O’Neale and poor performances

James Harden criticized for on-court behavior and lackluster performance.

“Disgraceful” – NBA Twitter SLAMS James Harden for ELBOWING Royce O’Neale and poor performances

Sixers' James Harden (Via Twitter)

The Philadelphia 76ers were already having a rough night against the Brooklyn Nets in Game 3 of their first-round playoff series on Thursday. They trailed by as many as 18 points in the first half and struggled to find any rhythm on offense or defense. Then, they lost their best player and leader, James Harden, to a flagrant 2 foul late in the third quarter.

Harden was driving to the basket and tried to create some separation from Nets forward Royce O’Neale with his arm. But he ended up hitting O’Neale in the groin area and the officials reviewed the play and ejected Harden from the game. Harden was shocked by the decision, as he argued that it was an accidental contact and not a malicious act.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8kBoo1bnvI

Harden had 21 points, five rebounds, four assists, and three triples in 29 minutes before his ejection. He was the only Sixer who looked comfortable and confident on the court, as he made some tough shots and tried to keep his team in the game. But they did not give up and rallied to win 102-97 behind clutch performances from Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid in the fourth quarter.

FS Video

Harden’s ejection was also controversial because earlier in the game, Embiid, the Sixers’ center, was only given a flagrant 1 foul for kicking Nic Claxton, another Nets center, in the groin area as he was lying on the ground after a dunk. Claxton had stepped over Embiid, who reacted by kicking him. Claxton received a technical foul for his action.

Also Read: “Houston is very much in play” for James Harden, NBA insider hints his UNCLEAR future with Philadelphia 76ers

NBA Twitter slams James Harden for poor performance and attacking Royce O’Neale

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James Harden of the Philadelphia 76ers dribbles against Royce O’Neale of the Brooklyn Nets during the first half of Game Three (Via Twitter)

Harden’s ejection was not controversial but did not prove costly for the Sixers. His performances in the series have been disappointing so far, as he has averaged only 21 points on 44.1 percent shooting from the field and 38.5 percent from beyond the arc. He has also been criticized for his lack of aggressiveness and defense.

NBA Twitter did not hold back on slamming Harden for his poor performances and his attack on O’Neale. Many fans called him “disgraceful”, “dirty”, “soft” and “overrated”. Some fans also called the officiating “terrible” and asked NBA to improve upon that.

https://twitter.com/socialpaxson/status/1649230165053165569

The Sixers now lead the series 3-0 and have regained the home-court advantage. They showed that they could overcome adversity and beat this Nets team. They also showed that they have depth and resilience on their roster. They will look to sweep the Nets with a 4-0 lead in Game 4 on Saturday night.

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