Kevin Durant Fires at 76ers’ Montrezl Harrell, Defends Claxton
While all eyes were initially on the Ben Simmons, Joel Embiid matchup as the Philadelphia 76ers geared up for their matchup against the Brooklyn Nets last week, Sixers veteran Montrezl Harrell shifted some of the focus onto himself.
As there was a chance Joel Embiid would miss his second matchup against the Nets this season since he was on the injury report, listed as questionable due to foot soreness, Harrell was asked about his potential matchup against Nets center Nic Claxton.
“I don’t know nothing about that, brother. You’re talking about a guy who steps up, but at the same time, Kyrie is the head of that snake,” Harrell said in response to a question about Claxton, according to Kristian Winfield of New York Daily News. “If Kevin Durant was there, it would be those two. It’s good that he’s playing well and stuff like that — cool — but he’s not the focal point of our defense. … We know the head of that engine is through Kyrie.”
Claxton didn’t just brush off the statement from Harrell. Before last Wednesday’s game, Claxton clapped back.
“I just want to know what he’s doing this year. What his resume is?” Said Claxton, per Brian Lewis of the New York Post. “It definitely adds a little fuel to the fire.”
A little less than a week after the matchup between the Sixers and the Nets, the injured Kevin Durant added his input on the situation, defending his teammate.
“Come on, Montrezl, you was talking crazy,” Durant said on The ETCs Podcast, per ClutchPoints’ Erik Slater. “You not like that. You’re an enforcer as a basketball player, but you’re not that guy. Clax is having a good year. Come on.”
Durant, who tweeted out during last Wednesday’s game that he missed trash-talking Harrell, has had his fair of bouts with the former Sixth Man of the Year. While Durant doesn’t seem to have any bad blood toward Harrell, he clearly doesn’t like the idea that Harrell seemed to be shading his teammate.
With the Embiid and Simmons finally getting their first meeting out of the way, the next Nets-Sixers matchup could shift some focus on Harrell, Durant, and Claxton, as the veterans added some more fuel to the rivalry.
Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.