James Harden's Cleveland debut was supposed to signal a new chapter. Instead, it reopened an old wound — in the loudest way possible.
The Arizona State alum made his return to Philadelphia on October 22 as a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers, and Xfinity Mobile Arena let him hear it. Harden was booed throughout the night by 76ers fans who haven't forgotten his contentious departure from the city. The homecoming didn't get any warmer on the court: Harden finished with 16 points, 5 assists, and a brutal -17 plus/minus as Cleveland blew a 29-point lead and lost 114–106 in one of the more stunning collapses in recent NBA history.
The Shoving Match That Stole the Night
The defining moment of the evening didn't come on a shot chart — it came in the fourth quarter, when Harden and his former teammate Tyrese Maxey got into a shoving match as the Sixers were clawing back. The dust-up seemed to ignite Philadelphia's bench and crowd alike. Maxey kept it brief postgame, essentially calling it a non-issue, and Harden's camp didn't amplify it further.
The scuffle didn't stay contained to the court, though. ESPN's Stephen A. Smith floated a rumor linking the incident to broader Harden-era drama involving former coach Doc Rivers. Maxey publicly pushed back, calling out Smith's sources and dismissing the narrative. For a game that was supposed to be about Cleveland's new-look roster, Harden's complicated Philadelphia history dominated every storyline.
The 76ers' comeback was historically significant — digging out of a 29-point hole qualifies — but the loss stung for Harden and the Cavaliers, who were playing their season opener. Cleveland had been positioned as a genuine Eastern Conference contender with Harden alongside Donovan Mitchell, making the meltdown an early test of that partnership's ceiling under pressure.
Harden got a second chance two days later. Against Brooklyn on October 24, he posted 12 points, 7 assists, and 8 rebounds in 33 minutes as the Cavaliers edged the Nets 125–121. The plus/minus (-3) wasn't pretty, but Cleveland got the win and Harden looked more settled running the offense.
Dort Quietly Productive in Atlanta
While Harden's week played out under a national spotlight, fellow Sun Devil Luguentz Dort was logging steady minutes for the Atlanta Hawks. Dort had 8 points, 4 rebounds, and a steal in a losing effort against Orlando on October 21, then followed up with 9 points and a +8 plus/minus in Atlanta's dominant 128–81 dismantling of Charlotte on October 23. Neither performance makes headlines, but Dort's defensive versatility continues to give the Hawks a reliable wing option.
Marcus Bagley (76ers) and Josh Christopher (Heat) did not appear in the game log for this stretch.
The Bigger Picture
Harden's week encapsulates everything that makes him a polarizing figure: the history with Philly is inescapable, the talent is still evident, and the margin for error with a contending Cleveland squad is razor-thin. How he and Mitchell build chemistry over the next month will be the defining question of the Cavaliers' season — and for ASU fans watching, the first two games offered every emotion on the spectrum.
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