After spending 2 seasons with the Houston Rockets together, Chris Paul and James Harden lost touch with one another. As Paul revealed to Chris Haynes earlier this year, “Like we don’t talk, communicate, nothing like that.” And there are layers to that comment when you consider how they fell apart. Anyway, all that is set to change as the duo is set to be teammates once again. Harden knows this and, therefore, was there to witness his friend’s ‘legendary’ moment as he took in the beginning of a new NBA chapter.

The official Instagram account of the LA Clippers recently put out a post. It highlighted a moment after Chris Paul’s recent introductory press conference with the Clippers. The player was sitting on the stage while hundreds of fans cheered him on with the chant of “CP3, CP3”. The moment carried such an intense emotion that Paul couldn’t help but be touched by the devotion shown towards him. Sure enough, the tears couldn’t evade the 40-year-old for long.

Several people sent their love to Chris Paul through the comments section of the post, too. James Harden was also there amongst the first people to react, writing, “CRACKIN!”. And just like that, it feels like the old duo might be back!

Chris Paul and James Harden’s partnership, while being Houston Rockets players, has proven to be a fruitful one for the franchise. Throughout 2 seasons, the duo created a dominant backcourt, leading the team to the league’s best record by winning 65 games during the 2017-18 season. They came closest to their pursuit of a championship in 2018, when they pushed the powerhouse Golden State Warriors, led by Kevin Durant, to a dramatic Game 7 in the Western Conference Finals, a feat no other team managed in that era.

Soon after that, however, reports began to emerge of tension between Paul and Harden. Clips highlighted intense discussions taking place between the two players on the sidelines. This also included a viral moment when Chris Paul wanted a fist bump, but Harden dismissed it and reportedly said “F— the fist bump”. CP3 attributed the soreness in their bond to a lack of communication, and pointed out that just because players are on the same team for an extended time, it doesn’t mean they have to be “kumbayah” or “enemies.”

6 years have passed since Paul was last teammates with ‘The Beard’. That period must have given the duo enough experience to understand how to be better teammates with one another. While that may or may not end up being the case, Chris Paul assured us that he will be putting his best foot forward in terms of a reconciliation.

Chris Paul Reveals Desire To Resolve “Unfinished Business” With James Harden

If there was one word to describe Chris Paul’s mood during his introductory press conference, it would be ‘grateful’. When returning to the Los Angeles Clippers, the veteran knew that he wouldn’t be the centerpiece of the franchise. Plus, he would have also had to deal with the different lineups, rotations, and expectations from the front office and coaching staff. Despite this, returning to the Clippers was, in Paul’s own words, “a no brainer”.

As for his ‘bond’ with James Harden, CP3 admitted that the duo talked about their history during their Houston Rockets days. Though some tension existed, Paul still called his old Rockets squad “one of the funniest teams I’ve ever been on in my career”. Now, the 12x NBA All-Star wants to make his remaining time count by bringing the same feeling here. “And so, it’s wild that you get this opportunity again after those two years and the success that we had. And we find we definitely know we had unfinished business,” said Paul. “So, we get a chance to see what’s going on here.”

Chris Paul and James Harden are older now. They might not carry the same prowess as the duo that led the Houston Rockets to deep playoff runs in the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons. However, once on the court, they could still make a difference at a level that gives the LA Clippers squad an edge.