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The Philadelphia 76ers received great news this week as Joel Embiid made his return to the court after just a four-game absence due to a mid-foot sprain. Next on the horizon seems to be James Harden who is nursing a strained right foot tendon and has missed the last 12 games. While the Sixers have been successful in his absence, going 8-4 overall, the team will not reach its peak without the superstar on the court.
Luckily, there is some promising news surrounding Harden’s return. As reported by ESPN’s Tim Bontemps, “He should be back sometime within the next couple of weeks. There’s a chance he could come back on this upcoming three-game road trip.” He also mentioned a matchup with the Lakers on December 9th as a game he is confident he will be back before.
Harden’s Impact
Prior to his injury, Harden had impressed in the early stages of the season. He has averaged 22.0 points, 10.0 assists, and seven rebounds per game through the opening nine games of the season. During Embiid’s slow start to the season, Harden was vital to providing the offense the Sixers needed which included scoring over 30 points in the Sixers’ first two games this season.
His impact can be felt on the offensive end as the Sixers have registered a 115.6 offensive rating with Harden on the floor versus 112.8 with him off it. This 115.6 offensive rating would rank fifth in the NBA if the Sixers had sustained it. The Sixers are also recording a 62.7% assist rate while Harden is on the floor versus a 58.5% assist rate without him.
While the team has impressed greatly in his absence, Harden’s playmaking will be essential to opening up the offense moving forward. If this Sixers team is to reach its ceiling as a team it will require Harden’s offensive gifts to fit consistently in the way that has been flashed in spurts. Hopefully, his fitness is still solid after the monthlong absence and Harden can pick up right where he left off.
Could Harden’s Return Come Sooner?
While there was not a concrete date stated by Bontemps, some Sixers insiders view the return as even more imminent. Philadelphia Inquirer’s Keith Pompey wrote on Sunday that, “Guard James Harden is expected to return from a strained right foot tendon in a few days.” For the time being, he remains listed as out ahead of the matchup with the Cavaliers, but all signs point toward Harden being on track in his recovery.
The Sixers will also be monitoring the return of Tyrese Maxey who missed the previous six games due to a small fracture in his foot. The initial timeline given out was 3-4 weeks and it has been just 12 days since the injury occurred. In positive news, Maxey has already been spotted out of the walking boot he was initially in which is a step in the right direction.
Somehow, the Sixers’ outlook is more positive than it was when the stars first went down with their respective foot injuries. They now hold a record of 12-9 which puts them in fifth place in the Eastern Conference for the time being. Considering the disappointing 5-7 start to the season this has been an impressive turnaround. Continuing to build off this success as the stars return to the lineup is the next step for the team and it looks like the time to start this is just about here.
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