Getty Gary Trent Jr. #33 of the Toronto Raptors guards James Harden #1 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the first quarter of Game Two of the Eastern Conference First Round.
Heading into the postseason, the Philadelphia 76ers were a team many had their eyes on. Led by MVP finalist Joel Embiid, it was time to see if the gamble of trading for James Harden was worth it.
So far, things are looking good for the Sixers. They have a commanding 2-0 lead over the Raptors and are firing on all cylinders. While Philly continues to trend in the right direction, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith still has his concerns.
While Harden didn’t buy into the noise, he was one of the players facing the most pressure these playoffs. Through two games against Toronto, he is averaging 18 points and ten assists while shooting 45.5% from beyond the arc. Despite these numbers, Smith went on ‘First Take’ to share why he’s “very concerned” about the All-Star guard.
I’m very concerned about James Harden. We got to have a conversation about James Harden that we haven’t had… James Harden doesn’t look the same. He hasn’t look the same since that very hamstring injury he suffered last year in Brooklyn.
James Harden Adjusting His Game With Time
As we see across all sports, father time is undefeated. At some point, the wear and tear of a long career always catches up to players. At 32-years-old, we are starting to see this to a degree with Harden.
What separates good players from great ones is how gracefully their game ages. Harden might not be the same as he was in his younger days physically but still impacts the game at a high level. Since he got traded to Brooklyn last year, we’ve seen Harden embrace being a facilitator as opposed to going off for big scoring performances on a nightly basis.
Even though Harden has seamlessly changed his game, Smith still has his doubts. He feels there will come a time when the Sixers are going to need his scoring punch.
I’m talking separation [from defenders], I don’t see that. The reason why that’s a big deal, you didn’t bring James Harden here to beat the Toronto Raptors. You brought him for the next round, and the round after that.
The Sixers Don’t Need Houston James Harden
This conversation is something that’s been brought up since Harden arrived in Philadelphia. There is no denying Harden is not the player he was in his Houston days. That being said, the Sixers don’t need that guy to succeed in the postseason.
When Harden was with the Rockets, he was ‘the guy’ every night. The Sixers already have their alpha in Embiid. What they needed was a reliable second option. A role that Harden has been able fill nicely so far. Along with taking on some of the scoring load, his elite-level facilitation creates easy scoring opportunities for Embiid and the rest of the Sixers.
Since taking the floor for the Sixers, the results are adding Harden are evident. His own scoring numbers don’t jump off the page. It’s the rest of the team’s numbers to focus on. Harden is still creating a plethora of points, just in a different way.
Having a high-IQ ballhandler running the offense has done wonders for the Sixers. Defenses are going to respect Harden, and because of this, it creates opportunities for guys like Tyrese Maxey and Tobias Harris.
Based on how dominant the Sixers’ offense has looked so far in the playoffs, there should be minimal cause for concern.