Tyrese Maxey didn’t just push back on Stephen A. Smith’s story - he flat-out erased the central detail.
On Friday’s First Take, Smith tied Maxey’s run-in with James Harden to Philadelphia’s 2023 playoff exit against Boston. In telling the story, Smith said Maxey “went to (then-Sixers head coach) Doc Rivers’ crib damn near crying” because of Harden’s play in that series.
Maxey’s response was immediate and direct: he said he has “never even been” to Rivers’ home.
That denial undercut Smith’s account after Maxey and Harden had to be separated during Thursday’s game. The two former teammates exchanged shoves, and officials along with players stepped in to break it up.
Here yall go🫤… I’ve never even been to DOC house 😂 https://t.co/sNdCLS9Vrp
— Tyrese Maxey (@TyreseMaxey) October 23, 2026
Maxey had the last word on the scoreboard, too. Philadelphia erased a 29-point deficit and beat Cleveland 114-106, with Maxey scoring 32 points in 42 minutes. Harden finished with 16 points, five assists and six turnovers.
Smith’s comments pointed back to Harden’s uneven playoff series against Boston. He helped Philadelphia win the first and fifth games with scoring nights of more than 40 points, but his production fell off after that.
Over the final two games, Harden scored 22 points total, hitting seven of 27 shots and just one of 11 from three. He also had 16 assists and 10 turnovers.
That seventh game ended up being Harden’s final appearance for Philadelphia. After a public split with the franchise that included him calling Daryl Morey “a liar,” Harden was traded to the Clippers in November 2023.
Thursday’s crowd also made sure Harden felt the tension. Philadelphia fans booed him every time he touched the ball.
Smith brought the old playoff storyline back into focus, but Maxey made clear he was disputing the biggest piece of it: the alleged visit to Rivers’ house.
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