James Harden all set to make emphatic return to Chesapeake Energy Arena on Wednesday night – NBA News
James Harden is all set to return to Oklahoma City, only this time he will be the enemy rather than the man the whole crowd used to cheer for. Harden was one of the core members of the Oklahoma City Thunder team, who had worked
hard for three long seasons along with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook to make the Thunder a contender in the NBA. And then last season, the Thunder were crowned the Western Conference Champions and their time had officially arrived. They lost to the Miami
Heat in the NBA Finals, but the three stood together after Game 5 with the promise that they would continue where they left off next season.
However, the NBA was dealt a huge shock five days before the start of the 2012 season when it was learnt that Harden had been traded to the Houston Rockets. The team core, that was all set to form the new dynasty in the NBA, had
been broken just like that. Harden was up for a contract extension and speculation is that unlike Durant, Westbrook and Serge Ibaka before him, he was unwilling to take a salary cut and Sam Presti had to trade him for the long term future of the team.
Now Harden returns to Chesapeake Energy Arena as a member of the Houston Rockets team as they take on the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night.
“To be honest, I don’t even know. It’s gonna be a long day. It will be good to see some faces, old teammates and coaches and my family. I’m on the road. I’m on the road trying to get a win. That’s no different than playing at Memphis
or at Atlanta, whatever the case may be,” said Harden when asked what he expects from his first trip back to Oklahoma City since being traded.
The Thunder got Kevin Martin from Houston apart from a few draft picks, and he has settled well in his new role with the new team. Harden, on the other hand, went from being a 6th man to the go to guy for the Houston
Rockets, starting for the team and averaging 25.1 points per game this season, in the same bracket as Kobe Bryant, Carmelo Anthony and former teammate Kevin Durant.
“To be honest, I didn’t. Especially coming off The Finals and basically being together (with Durant and Westbrook) all summer with the Olympics. It happened so fast, happened so fast. Everything happens for a reason and now I’m
in a different situation,” said Harden when asked if he anticipated parting ways with the Thunder.
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