Los Angeles Clippers hosted the Phoenix Suns on their second clash of the season on Monday night. The star-studded teams fortunately went on the floor with their entire roster healthy, paving the way for the most cherished reunions of the recent times. The latest team-up of James Harden with Russell Westbrook made the unlikely reunion with Kevin Durant possible after 9 years.
Nine years ago, the dynamic trio had an entirely different equation in the league. KD and Russ donned the Oklahoma City Thunder‘s jersey, meanwhile James Harden put on the Houston Rockets jersey. Now that the stars have switched their partner, the Clippers broadcaster claimed that the trio stepped on the court together for the first time in 9 years. Let’s go into the specific of reunion and reasons behind the split.
James Harden faces KD, but this time with Russ on his side
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The in-form Clippers took on the struggling Suns at the Crypto.com arena and produced a blow-out 138-111 win. While it may seem like an usual regular season game, but this game had an unlikely reunion like a hidden gem.
According to the Clippers broadcast, tonight was the first time since 2016 where Russ, The Beard, and Kevin Durant shared the court together. Last time they met, it was again Harden, who took home the win.
The Rockets hosted the Thunder on a Sunday afternoon. Harden led his team to a 110-118 victory, dropping 41 points with 9 assists. Meanwhile, on the other hand, Durant and Russ dropped 33 and 23 points, respectively.
Clippers broadcast says it's the first time since 2016 since Westbrook, KD and Harden have shared an NBA court together. Wow. pic.twitter.com/stbJgiInpT
— Oh no he didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) January 9, 2024
The marvel between this trio doesn’t end with the reunion after 9 years, but also with an interesting coincidence.
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Almost every loyal NBA fans would be aware of Harden’s brief stint with the Brooklyn Nets where he teamed up with Durant. It ended soon after Harden found his way back with an undisclosed reason. But, the KD’s exit from a 9-year-long partnership with Russ had a strong reason.
Why did KD leave the Thunder?
Slim Reaper created massive waves in the NBA world when he decided to leave the Thunder and put on the Golden State Warriors jersey. Fans considered the trade as a betrayal. While KD didn’t open up about the trade then, he revealed the reasons behind the trade after four years. And it definitely took a sly dig at Beastbrook.
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During the All The Smoke podcast episode in 202o, he said, “In OKC, I played with a lot of athletes. I didn’t play with a lot of skill guys, not like shooters, ball-handlers. So after a while, my game started to grow and I was like, ‘I need a change.” Even though KD didn’t mention Russ’ name, ‘the athletes vs Skill guys’ comment made the message clear.
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What do you make of the star-studded reunion after nine years? Let us know in the comments below.