Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Bryce Harper returned to Nationals Park in Washington on Tuesday, to howling boos and shirts that spelled out “T-R-A-I-T-O-R,” but it was the former Nationals slugger who got the last laugh.
Harper, who signed a 13-year contract with the Phillies worth a then-record $330 million last month, struck out in his first at-bat against pitcher Max Scherzer. Joyous roars erupted from the home crowd after each strike and his eventual whiff on an 85 mph changeup.
Harper added to the drama in the eighth inning. He drowned out the guttural boos of his earlier plate appearances by smacking a 458-foot two-run homer into the second deck -- punctuating the moment with an epic bat flip in the direction of his former dugout -- that put the Phillies ahead 8-2, which would be the final score.
The homer topped off a 3-for-5 night for Harper, who had three RBI. The bat flip was only one of the theatrical flourishes Harper let loose in the stadium he had called home for seven seasons.
After Ks in his first two at-bats, Harper doubled off Scherzer in the fifth and singled in a run off lefty Matt Grace in the sixth. Harper reacted to both with a "Fortnite"-inspired exaggerated wave toward the Phillies' dugout. Fans who made the trek down Interstate-95 from Philadelphia regaled him with chants of "M-V-P!" and "We got Harper!"
The Nationals drafted Harper No. 1 overall in 2010 and brought him to the majors as a teen. He won NL Rookie of the Year and MVP honors with Washington on top of earning six All-Star selections in seven seasons.
"Emotional day. You're coming back here, where you've spent seven seasons of your career, and try to just go about it the right way and play your game and not worry about your surroundings and things like that," Harper said after the game. "Just trying to soak it all in and soak it up a little bit and enjoy the day."
OKLAHOMA CITY -- Russell Westbrook sat alone on the Thunder bench some 15 minutes before tipoff Tuesday against the Los Angeles Lakers, with a basketball between his legs, singing and dancing along to Nipsey Hussle's "Grindin' All My Life," intent on playing a game to honor the recently slain rapper.
After he recorded the second 20-20-20 game in NBA history -- posting 20 points, 20 rebounds and 21 assists -- Westbrook walked off the floor following a 119-103 win with a heavy heart, having dedicated the performance to his friend.
"That's for Nipsey!" Westbrook yelled as he slapped his chest.
Westbrook, who grew up in Los Angeles, where Nipsey Hussle was a cultural staple, wore a blue shirt that said Crenshaw on it, a nod to a Nipsey Hussle mixtape.
Nipsey Hussle was shot and killed Sunday outside his clothing store in Los Angeles.
"Grateful to play the game, but that wasn't for me, man. That was for my bro, man. That was for Nipsey," Westbrook said on the TNT broadcast on the court after the game. "Rest in peace to Nipsey, man. I'm just thankful to go out there and compete at a high level, man. Thankful to have these teammates. Thankful and humbled to go out there and play the game I love."
It was an awkward situation for Westbrook to grab the final two rebounds needed, though. He waved off a substitution by coach Billy Donovan with 1:04 left and the Thunder up by 16. With OKC center Steven Adams at the free throw line, Donovan emptied his bench, but Westbrook wanted to stay in the game for the final minute. A confused Hamidou Diallo initially walked onto the floor, then had to walk back off.
play
1:38
After becoming the second-ever NBA player to post a 20-20-20 game, Russell Westbrook dedicates the night to late rapper Nipsey Hussle.
"He came over and talked to me about it, and I knew he had a close friend pass away, and he had mentioned and explained that to me," Donovan said of Westbrook. "I think for a few guys on our team, relationship-wise, this kind of hit them pretty hard the last couple days, just talking to them. But I think for Russell, that was something that really meant a lot to him, and he basically talked to me a little bit about it after the game."
After Adams missed his second free throw, Westbrook hauled in the offensive rebound and missed a putback attempt, but he couldn't corral the ball.
Adams, a 51 percent free throw shooter, was asked if he missed the free throw on purpose.
"Just say I did," Adams said. "I know how to miss free throws."
On the following possession, Lakers guard Isaac Bonga missed a jumper, and Westbrook snagged rebound No. 20. The Thunder bench erupted, and Westbrook dribbled out to the half-court line celebrating.
"It's just epic," said Thunder forward Paul George, also a Southern California native. "Man, the heart of that guy over there, honestly, is what's so amazing about it.
"It's the way he's made up. There's not many made like Russ. It takes somebody special to go out and have a performance like that, especially with how heavy his heart was for the loss of Nipsey."
The Thunder have been mired in a rut since the All-Star break, and they were desperate for not just a win, but a good performance against the Lakers. Westbrook and George set a tone early, with George picking off passes and throwing down a reverse 360 dunk and another flashy two-hander in the first quarter, while Westbrook dished out 10 assists in the opening 12 minutes.
"We warmed up to Nipsey and, honestly, I felt that changed everything," George said. "That changed the mood, that changed the vibe, and we were pumped."
Assuming he plays in the Thunder's final four regular-season games, Westbrook needs just three assists to secure his third consecutive season averaging a triple-double. He posted his 31st triple double of the season on Tuesday.
Westbrook has flirted with 20-20-20 games a few different times but never could quite get there. On Tuesday, he made sure of it. Following the game, he signed a stack of box scores to be passed out among Thunder staffers and ball boys, but he took the historic game ball home with him.
"Just an unbelievable moment that I definitely won't take for granted, won't let pass by," Westbrook said. "Just completely humbled and thankful to go out and play, man. I don't even know what to say, how to put it into words, honestly. I just do what I can, honestly."
OKLAHOMA CITY -- Russell Westbrook sat alone on the Thunder bench some 15 minutes before tipoff Tuesday against the Los Angeles Lakers, with a basketball between his legs, singing and dancing along to Nipsey Hussle's "Grindin' All My Life," intent on playing a game to honor the recently slain rapper.
After he recorded the second 20-20-20 game in NBA history -- posting 20 points, 20 rebounds and 21 assists -- Westbrook walked off the floor following a 119-103 win with a heavy heart, having dedicated the performance to his friend.
"That's for Nipsey!" Westbrook yelled as he slapped his chest.
Westbrook, who grew up in Los Angeles, where Nipsey Hussle was a cultural staple, wore a blue shirt that said Crenshaw on it, a nod to a Nipsey Hussle mixtape.
Nipsey Hussle was shot and killed Sunday outside his clothing store in Los Angeles.
"Grateful to play the game, but that wasn't for me, man. That was for my bro, man. That was for Nipsey," Westbrook said on the TNT broadcast on the court after the game. "Rest in peace to Nipsey, man. I'm just thankful to go out there and compete at a high level, man. Thankful to have these teammates. Thankful and humbled to go out there and play the game I love."
It was an awkward situation for Westbrook to grab the final two rebounds needed, though. He waved off a substitution by coach Billy Donovan with 1:04 left and the Thunder up by 16. With OKC center Steven Adams at the free throw line, Donovan emptied his bench, but Westbrook wanted to stay in the game for the final minute. A confused Hamidou Diallo initially walked onto the floor, then had to walk back off.
play
1:38
After becoming the second-ever NBA player to post a 20-20-20 game, Russell Westbrook dedicates the night to late rapper Nipsey Hussle.
"He came over and talked to me about it, and I knew he had a close friend pass away, and he had mentioned and explained that to me," Donovan said of Westbrook. "I think for a few guys on our team, relationship-wise, this kind of hit them pretty hard the last couple days, just talking to them. But I think for Russell, that was something that really meant a lot to him, and he basically talked to me a little bit about it after the game."
After Adams missed his second free throw, Westbrook hauled in the offensive rebound and missed a putback attempt, but he couldn't corral the ball.
Adams, a 51 percent free throw shooter, was asked if he missed the free throw on purpose.
"Just say I did," Adams said. "I know how to miss free throws."
On the following possession, Lakers guard Isaac Bonga missed a jumper, and Westbrook snagged rebound No. 20. The Thunder bench erupted, and Westbrook dribbled out to the half-court line celebrating.
"It's just epic," said Thunder forward Paul George, also a Southern California native. "Man, the heart of that guy over there, honestly, is what's so amazing about it.
"It's the way he's made up. There's not many made like Russ. It takes somebody special to go out and have a performance like that, especially with how heavy his heart was for the loss of Nipsey."
The Thunder have been mired in a rut since the All-Star break, and they were desperate for not just a win, but a good performance against the Lakers. Westbrook and George set a tone early, with George picking off passes and throwing down a reverse 360 dunk and another flashy two-hander in the first quarter, while Westbrook dished out 10 assists in the opening 12 minutes.
"We warmed up to Nipsey and, honestly, I felt that changed everything," George said. "That changed the mood, that changed the vibe, and we were pumped."
Assuming he plays in the Thunder's final four regular-season games, Westbrook needs just three assists to secure his third consecutive season averaging a triple-double. He posted his 31st triple double of the season on Tuesday.
Westbrook has flirted with 20-20-20 games a few different times but never could quite get there. On Tuesday, he made sure of it. Following the game, he signed a stack of box scores to be passed out among Thunder staffers and ball boys, but he took the historic game ball home with him.
"Just an unbelievable moment that I definitely won't take for granted, won't let pass by," Westbrook said. "Just completely humbled and thankful to go out and play, man. I don't even know what to say, how to put it into words, honestly. I just do what I can, honestly."
OKLAHOMA CITY -- Russell Westbrook sat alone on the Thunder bench some 15 minutes before tipoff Tuesday against the Los Angeles Lakers, with a basketball between his legs, singing and dancing along to Nipsey Hussle's "Grindin' All My Life," intent on playing a game to honor the recently slain rapper.
After he recorded the second 20-20-20 game in NBA history -- posting 20 points, 20 rebounds and 21 assists -- Westbrook walked off the floor following a 119-103 win with a heavy heart, having dedicated the performance to his friend.
"That's for Nipsey!" Westbrook yelled as he slapped his chest.
Westbrook, who grew up in Los Angeles, where Nipsey Hussle was a cultural staple, wore a blue shirt that said Crenshaw on it, a nod to a Nipsey Hussle mixtape.
Nipsey Hussle was shot and killed Sunday outside his clothing store in Los Angeles.
"Grateful to play the game, but that wasn't for me, man. That was for my bro, man. That was for Nipsey," Westbrook said on the TNT broadcast on the court after the game. "Rest in peace to Nipsey, man. I'm just thankful to go out there and compete at a high level, man. Thankful to have these teammates. Thankful and humbled to go out there and play the game I love."
It was an awkward situation for Westbrook to grab the final two rebounds needed, though. He waved off a substitution by coach Billy Donovan with 1:04 left and the Thunder up by 16. With OKC center Steven Adams at the free throw line, Donovan emptied his bench, but Westbrook wanted to stay in the game for the final minute. A confused Hamidou Diallo initially walked onto the floor, then had to walk back off.
play
1:38
After becoming the second-ever NBA player to post a 20-20-20 game, Russell Westbrook dedicates the night to late rapper Nipsey Hussle.
"He came over and talked to me about it, and I knew he had a close friend pass away, and he had mentioned and explained that to me," Donovan said of Westbrook. "I think for a few guys on our team, relationship-wise, this kind of hit them pretty hard the last couple days, just talking to them. But I think for Russell, that was something that really meant a lot to him, and he basically talked to me a little bit about it after the game."
After Adams missed his second free throw, Westbrook hauled in the offensive rebound and missed a putback attempt, but he couldn't corral the ball.
Adams, a 51 percent free throw shooter, was asked if he missed the free throw on purpose.
"Just say I did," Adams said. "I know how to miss free throws."
On the following possession, Lakers guard Isaac Bonga missed a jumper, and Westbrook snagged rebound No. 20. The Thunder bench erupted, and Westbrook dribbled out to the half-court line celebrating.
"It's just epic," said Thunder forward Paul George, also a Southern California native. "Man, the heart of that guy over there, honestly, is what's so amazing about it.
"It's the way he's made up. There's not many made like Russ. It takes somebody special to go out and have a performance like that, especially with how heavy his heart was for the loss of Nipsey."
The Thunder have been mired in a rut since the All-Star break, and they were desperate for not just a win, but a good performance against the Lakers. Westbrook and George set a tone early, with George picking off passes and throwing down a reverse 360 dunk and another flashy two-hander in the first quarter, while Westbrook dished out 10 assists in the opening 12 minutes.
"We warmed up to Nipsey and, honestly, I felt that changed everything," George said. "That changed the mood, that changed the vibe, and we were pumped."
Assuming he plays in the Thunder's final four regular-season games, Westbrook needs just three assists to secure his third consecutive season averaging a triple-double. He posted his 31st triple double of the season on Tuesday.
Westbrook has flirted with 20-20-20 games a few different times but never could quite get there. On Tuesday, he made sure of it. Following the game, he signed a stack of box scores to be passed out among Thunder staffers and ball boys, but he took the historic game ball home with him.
"Just an unbelievable moment that I definitely won't take for granted, won't let pass by," Westbrook said. "Just completely humbled and thankful to go out and play, man. I don't even know what to say, how to put it into words, honestly. I just do what I can, honestly."
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WASHINGTON -- Bryce Harper didn't let a little bit of rain -- or a lot of boos -- ruin his homecoming.
Harper, the former Washington Nationals star who made his return to D.C. on Tuesday night as a member of the Philadelphia Phillies, had to wait longer than expected to see how the crowd at Nationals Park would react.
Following a 41-minute rain delay, Harper stepped in against Washington ace Max Scherzer and was booed loudly by an abnormally large midweek April crowd of 35,920. Although there also was a smattering of applause throughout the stadium, which included several right-field sections full of Phillies fans who bused down from Pennsylvania, the predominant reaction was overwhelmingly negative.
After a prolonged pause that lasted longer than a minute, Harper proceeded to square off against Scherzer. With two runners on and nobody out in the top of the first inning, the Phillies slugger struck out on a 2-2 changeup. During his second at-bat in the top of the third, Harper was booed loudly once again by the standing crowd. With two outs and the bases empty, and the Phillies leading 1-0, Harper struck out a second time, fanning on a 3-2 cutter from Scherzer.
But from that point on, Harper would ensure he got the last laugh. In the top of the fifth, amid another chorus of boos, Harper finally got to Scherzer, lining a double to right field. When he arrived at second base, Harper smiled and waved exaggeratedly toward his Phillies teammates in the third-base dugout. Harper then delivered an RBI single to left in the top of the sixth off reliever Matt Grace, increasing Philly's lead to 6-0. After the play, the boisterous Phillies fans in right field started chanting "MVP" repeatedly, which was followed by a refrain of, "We've got Harper."
And in his fifth and final at-bat, facing Jeremy Hellickson in the eighth inning, Harper launched a mammoth, two-run homer into the second deck in right-center field, his third bomb of the season. He punctuated the blast with a monster bat flip in the direction of the Nationals dugout.
"I feel like it's a little different coming back here and getting booed," Harper said after Philadelphia's 8-2 win. "But for me, it's exactly like going to another ballpark and facing somebody that's lights out, electric, like Max, or going to New York and getting booed. It's the same thing for me. So, I got out there and try to play my game and understand I have teammates in that dugout that are going to pull for me every single day.
"I have the city of Philadelphia behind me each and every night. If I have that, then nothing else matters to me."
play
0:52
Bryce Harper reflects on his first game back in Washington since signing with the Phillies in the offseason.
With the 458-foot jack, Harper now has two of the three longest home runs of the young season, according to ESPN Stats & Information research. On the night, he went 3-for-5 with three RBIs, helping Philadelphia improve to 4-0 for the first time since 1915.
"It was fun to compete against him," Scherzer said of Harper. "The crowd was really into it, more so than I thought it was going to be. I was just kind of feeding off the atmosphere of the crowd. He's a great hitter, and you have to make great pitches to get him out. You saw that tonight. I was able to get him a couple of times. But you make a pitch over the middle of the plate, he was able to get the bat to it and hit a double. It'll be fun to continue to compete against him."
In an odd twist of fate, because of the inclement weather, Harper's career as a Nationals Park visitor began in exactly the same way that his tenure as a resident there ended. During his last appearance in Washington, on Sept. 26, 2018, Harper was standing in the on-deck circle when rain halted the game after the final out of the seventh inning.
According to a Washington Post report released on Monday, it was during that September rain delay that Harper received an envelope containing a 10-year, $300 million offer from the Nationals. Five months later, on March 2, the former MVP inked a 13-year, $330 million contract with the Phillies. Exactly one month after that, the 26-year-old outfielder returned to the nation's capital as a visitor for the first time.
Harper's name was greeted with boos during the announcement of starting lineups, and the jeering continued during the ensuing video tribute that played on the giant scoreboard in right-center field. The montage, which lasted just over a minute and featured clips of Harper receiving his MVP award, dedicating a local baseball field named for him and winning last summer's Home Run Derby in D.C., concluded with a message that read, "Thanks for the memories Bryce."
"Bryce is obviously a polarizing figure," Nationals first baseman Ryan Zimmerman said. "I don't mean that in a bad way at all. That's the way he's been, whether he likes it or not, since he was 12 years old or whatever. That's just kind of been the way it's been for him his whole life. I've always said I think he does a good job of handling it because he's used to it. It's been that way ever since he's played baseball. I think he brings upon that type of response, whether it's boos or cheers or excitement, that's just how it's been for him his whole career."
OKLAHOMA CITY -- Russell Westbrook sat alone on the Thunder bench some 15 minutes before tipoff Tuesday against the Los Angeles Lakers, with a basketball between his legs, singing and dancing along to Nipsey Hussle's "Grindin' All My Life," intent on playing a game to honor the recently slain rapper.
After he recorded the second 20-20-20 game in NBA history -- posting 20 points, 20 rebounds and 21 assists -- Westbrook walked off the floor following a 119-103 win with a heavy heart, having dedicated the performance to his friend.
"That's for Nipsey!" Westbrook yelled as he slapped his chest.
Westbrook, who grew up in Los Angeles, where Nipsey Hussle was a cultural staple, wore a blue shirt that said Crenshaw on it, a nod to a Nipsey Hussle mixtape.
Nipsey Hussle was shot and killed Sunday outside his clothing store in Los Angeles.
"Grateful to play the game, but that wasn't for me, man. That was for my bro, man. That was for Nipsey," Westbrook said on the TNT broadcast on the court after the game. "Rest in peace to Nipsey, man. I'm just thankful to go out there and compete at a high level, man. Thankful to have these teammates. Thankful and humbled to go out there and play the game I love."
It was an awkward situation for Westbrook to grab the final two rebounds needed, though. He waved off a substitution by coach Billy Donovan with 1:04 left and the Thunder up by 16. With OKC center Steven Adams at the free throw line, Donovan emptied his bench, but Westbrook wanted to stay in the game for the final minute. A confused Hamidou Diallo initially walked onto the floor, then had to walk back off.
play
1:38
After becoming the second-ever NBA player to post a 20-20-20 game, Russell Westbrook dedicates the night to late rapper Nipsey Hussle.
"He came over and talked to me about it, and I knew he had a close friend pass away, and he had mentioned and explained that to me," Donovan said of Westbrook. "I think for a few guys on our team, relationship-wise, this kind of hit them pretty hard the last couple days, just talking to them. But I think for Russell, that was something that really meant a lot to him, and he basically talked to me a little bit about it after the game."
After Adams missed his second free throw, Westbrook hauled in the offensive rebound and missed a putback attempt, but he couldn't corral the ball.
Adams, a 51 percent free throw shooter, was asked if he missed the free throw on purpose.
"Just say I did," Adams said. "I know how to miss free throws."
On the following possession, Lakers guard Isaac Bonga missed a jumper, and Westbrook snagged rebound No. 20. The Thunder bench erupted, and Westbrook dribbled out to the half-court line celebrating.
"It's just epic," said Thunder forward Paul George, also a Southern California native. "Man, the heart of that guy over there, honestly, is what's so amazing about it.
"It's the way he's made up. There's not many made like Russ. It takes somebody special to go out and have a performance like that, especially with how heavy his heart was for the loss of Nipsey."
The Thunder have been mired in a rut since the All-Star break, and they were desperate for not just a win, but a good performance against the Lakers. Westbrook and George set a tone early, with George picking off passes and throwing down a reverse 360 dunk and another flashy two-hander in the first quarter, while Westbrook dished out 10 assists in the opening 12 minutes.
"We warmed up to Nipsey and, honestly, I felt that changed everything," George said. "That changed the mood, that changed the vibe, and we were pumped."
Assuming he plays in the Thunder's final four regular-season games, Westbrook needs just three assists to secure his third consecutive season averaging a triple-double. He posted his 31st triple double of the season on Tuesday.
Westbrook has flirted with 20-20-20 games a few different times but never could quite get there. On Tuesday, he made sure of it. Following the game, he signed a stack of box scores to be passed out among Thunder staffers and ball boys, but he took the historic game ball home with him.
"Just an unbelievable moment that I definitely won't take for granted, won't let pass by," Westbrook said. "Just completely humbled and thankful to go out and play, man. I don't even know what to say, how to put it into words, honestly. I just do what I can, honestly."
