Over the past week, the Philadelphia 76ers have faced off against a pair of former All-Stars who used to suit up for the franchise. First was Ben Simmons, followed by a matchup with James Harden and the LA Clippers.

Harden’s time in Philly was short lived after being acquired at the 2022 deadline. He too had a bit of an ugly exit, requesting a trade following multiple public jabs at Sixers executive Daryl Morey. The saga came to an end at the start of last season, when he was dealt to the Clippers for an array of assets.

Since getting to LA, Harden has continued to put up star-level numbers. Days after notching 23 points and eight assists in a return matchup to Philly, he etched his name in the history books.

On Wednesday night, the Clippers picked up a blowout win over the Washington Wizards. Harden dazzled in the victory, recording a season-high 43 points. With this performance, he became the first player in NBA history to score 40 or more points in a game with five different teams.

Harden had two 40-point barrages during his one-and-a-half seasons with the Sixers. Both came in the postseason, during the 2023 Eastern Conference semifinals against the Boston Celtics. The former MVP scored 45 points in Game 1 of the series, followed by a 42-point outing in Game 4.

With Kawhi Leonard sidelined due to injury, Harden has been the primary conductor of the Clippers’ offense. Through his first 20 games, he is posting averages of 21.6 PPG, 7.2 RPG, and 8.7 APG.