PHILADELPHIA — From former teammates to the venue, the memories tickled the senses of forward P.J. Tucker on his first trip to Wells Fargo Center since the Sixers traded him and James Harden to the Los Angeles Clippers.
While Tucker kidded Wednesday that he didn’t expect his South Philadelphia reception to “be too pretty,” he embraced the feelings.
“Everything from playoffs the year before after coming here, that energy to just every day and knowing people here,” Tucker said. “Knowing all the guys that park the cars, the locker room attendants, everything, it’s just all the memories. It’s just automatic. It’s great. It’s amazing just to see people, especially when you had a good time and you enjoyed playing in this city and for that team.”
Tucker arrived averaging 1.6 points and 3.0 rebounds in 15.2 minutes per game with the Clippers, who checked in as the fourth seed in the Western Conference but were just 7-7 in March.
In November the Sixers dealt the disgruntled Harden, Tucker and Filip Petrusev to the Clippers for Marcus Morris, Robert Covington, Nic Batum, KJ Martin, a 2028 unprotected first-round pick, two second-round picks, a 2029 pick swap and an additional first-round pick from the Oklahoma City Thunder. Say that three times fast.
With the 38-year-old Tucker, along with Harden (34), Kawhi Leonard (32), Paul George (33) and Russell Westbrook (35), the Clippers are the golden oldies of the NBA.
Harden in 64 games with the Clippers is averaging 17.1 points. 8.5 assists and 5.1 boards this season. He was a key piece on the Sixers squad that earned a 3-1 lead over the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals, only to go on and choke in Game 7, costing Doc Rivers his job. Harden forced a trade a few months after calling Sixers president Daryl Morey a “liar,” an insult that earned the veteran player a $100,000 fine.
Clippers coach Tyronn Lue was anything but concerned about Harden going out of body to prove anything to Sixers fans.
“I think we’re definitely locked in,” Lue said. “We understand the task at hand. I just focus on what James has done for us, and he’s been really good. We wouldn’t be in the position we’re in right now as far as being the fourth seed without his play. So, I’ll just focus on what he’s brought to our team and how he’s been for us.”
There is no questioning Harden’s skills. The third pick in the 2014 draft along with Steph Curry, who came off the board at No. 7, are the only certain Hall of Famers from that relatively average lottery.
Harden, 34, entered Wednesday with 25,787 points, averaging 24.2 points in a 16-year career. He’s led the league in scoring three times, was the 2018 MVP and at age 33 last year, led the circuit in assists.
Sixers fans serenaded Harden with boos during the introductions and each time he touched the ball. They cheered when he missed shots.
Tucker is more a man of the people. Thirty-eight-year-old Sixers guard Kyle Lowrey is the only active player selected ahead of Tucker, the fifth pick in the second round of the 2006 draft.
“It’s good to be back,” Tucker said. “I mean, we had a really good team, we had a chance to do something special. We didn’t get as far as we wanted but I feel it was great. Love the fans here. Super motivating stuff for the love of walking around the city and being around Sixers fans. It’s pretty cool.”
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Sixers coach Nick Nurse said Joel Embiid has been working on skills and activities to ramp up for a return this season.
Nurse didn’t hesitate when asked if Embiid and his surgically repaired meniscus would return before the playoffs.
“I think there’s a very good likelihood that he will return before the play-in playoffs,” Nurse said. “He’s out there working. He’s doing lots of skill work and things like that. He’s on the court.”
Entering Wednesday the Sixers are 13-25 in games without Embiid and 26-8 with him this season.
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The explosion of legalized gambling has not gone unnoticed by the players, many of them subject to prop bets. Fans disappointed by the output of teams and players have made their feelings known, sometimes alarmingly according to Tucker.
“When guys are not doing whatever they bet on or losing … it’s getting outrageous,” Tucker said. “It’s getting kind of crazy. In the arenas you hear fans yelling at people because of their bets. It’s unreal. It’s something I’ve talked about for a while and I even posted about.”
