Playing point guard for Doc Rivers is hard, according to one of his former players. Patrick Beverley addressed a bevy of topics Monday morning on ESPN, including the future of his ex-teammate James Harden.
He doesn’t feel like the Philadelphia 76ers should give up on Harden while calling the recent criticism of the 2018 MVP “not fair.” According to Beverley, everyone needs to give Harden a little more time to adjust to Rivers’ system.
The Sixers are expected to bring him back on a max contract, something that everyone in the organization seems on board with. Harden deserves the benefit of the doubt.
“I’ve played for Doc. As a point guard, it’s extremely hard to play for Doc. Extremely hard,” Beverley told ESPN’s Get Up. “Because he demands so much, right? He demands so, so much. As a great coach, you should. So it’s an adjustment period. Coming here, halfway during the season, playing in Doc’s system — you have to get used to it. It’s not a system you can just jump in and just run with it.”
Beverley added that Harden had to adjust to playing with a “ball-dominant center” like Joel Embiid. He only had 21 games to pull everything together.
“That’s going to take time,” Beverley said. “But now after half a season, we’re going to sit here and say this man doesn’t deserve the max? Like c’mon now, that’s not fair.”
The latest Sixers news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Sixers newsletter here!
James Harden Plans to Get Healthy This Summer
Some people neglect the fact that Harden was playing with a nagging left hamstring injury throughout the 2021-22 season. And the former Brooklyn Nets guard first sustained the injury during Game 1 of last year’s playoffs.
The 32-year-old told reporters he was looking forward to rehabbing this summer and coming back 100% healthy.
“I’m excited. I’ve been trying to get right through the course of a basketball season for two years straight,” Harden said after Game 6. “And it’s like, it’s not it. You know what I mean? All last summer I was rehabbing.
“It was a little frustrating because I’m not used to going through something like that, but it is what it is. And I’m just happy to be healthy now. I’ve got a full summer to be straight and do the things necessary to come back even better next year.”
Mamba Forever 🐍 Proud that @DrinkBODYARMOR is partnering with @mambamambacitasports to support youth sports #MambaForeverdrink
ESPN Analyst: ’32-Year-Old in 38-Year-Old Body’
Meanwhile, ESPN analyst Seth Greenberg wasn’t buying the injury concerns about Harden. He thinks the 10-time All-Star is on the decline, a player whose wheels are finally showing the wear and tear of all those scoring titles and step-back jumpers.
“He’s a 32-year-old with a 38-year-old body,” Greenberg said. “He’s got an old body, he’s got an old game, he doesn’t have that lift, he doesn’t have that explosiveness. He hasn’t proven in playoffs that he’s a guy that can take your team to another level, especially now the way he’s playing.”
Comments
Ex-Teammate Sounds Off on James Harden, Doc Rivers Relationship