[ad_1]
Within the first half of the primary sport of the season, the Celtics hosted the Sixers, and James Harden seemed like his previous self. He was doing all of the James Harden-y issues that made him one of many biggest offensive creators ever and likewise one of the crucial annoyingly unwatchable elite gamers ever. On that October 18th evening, he did his trademark fast between-the-legs dribble that lulls defenders to sleep, permitting him to drive into the paint and discover an open shooter or draw a foul. He scored 22 factors within the first half, capturing 56 % from the sphere and making eight free throws.
If that model of Harden reveals up within the Jap Convention semifinals, the Celtics will win the collection with out a lot problem. Him because the one-one-one dynamo hasn’t traditionally led to playoff success, and that definitely gained’t change in his superior age. Nevertheless, if Harden embraces a playmaker function, specializing in prioritizing Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey as the highest scorers, and accepting that he’s the quantity three man on this group, this collection can be considerably extra aggressive than the NBA commentariat and the sports activities betting strains recommend.
Harden averaged 17.3 factors and eight.3 assists on 42-percent three-point capturing in Philly’s sweep in opposition to Brooklyn. It’s tremendous on the floor, however on photographs inside 5 toes, he was a dreadful 5-of-20. There’ll in all probability be 1 / 4, a half, or perhaps a sport the place we see throwback Harden, and it might need to be Recreation 1 if Embiid doesn’t play. However he isn’t able to being a constant 30-point scorer in a seven-game collection.
And I imagine that’s completely tremendous for the Sixers. In truth, Harden taking a again seat from a scoring perspective will yield the most effective model of Philly.
With Harden because the pass-first level guard who maintains his elite three-point capturing and provides you an occasional isolation bucket, the Sixers are a theoretical championship contender. The offense revolves round Embiid on the elbow and Maxey on the perimeter, with P.J. Tucker and Georges Niang because the veteran 3-and-D wings, Tobias Harris because the spot up shooter and generally 1-on-1 scorer, De’Anthony Melton because the athletic defensive guard, and Paul Reed and Jalen McDaniels because the younger power guys. The entire operation hinges on Harden thriving as a creator (and, in fact, Embiid’s well being, which is clearly an important side for Philly).
Peak Harden was a magician with the ball, however his teammates had been typically relegated to human props. There are a number of the explanation why his Houston groups by no means reached a Finals, however on essentially the most fundamental stage, the James Harden Expertise — together with his limitless dribbling, the 4 different guys standing round watching, and him not doing something when he didn’t have the ball — wasn’t conducive to championship tradition. Gamers don’t really feel empowered after they’re cogs in The Harden Present, and he couldn’t maintain his offensive wizardry within the extra bodily playoffs.
Harden has a well-documented historical past of underperforming within the playoffs. The final time he hit a clutch shot in a excessive stakes playoff sport, he was a third-year participant coming off the bench for Oklahoma Metropolis. He no-showed Recreation 6 in opposition to the Spurs in 2016, couldn’t make the most of the Kevin Durant-less Warriors in 2019, then underperformed final 12 months in opposition to Miami. There are few gamers in NBA historical past with Harden’s mixture of multi-level scoring and elite passing. He’s one of many biggest common season offensive gamers ever, which makes his playoff failures all of the extra jarring.
It’s attainable that in his present function because the #3 man, that is Harden’s alternative to extinguish his playoff-choker label. Kyle Lowry was as soon as thought of a perpetual playoff underperformer, however within the 2019 NBA Finals, he had a superb Recreation 6 and hit a clutch shot to seal the championship for Toronto. I can see an identical scenario the place Harden, with out the burden of carrying a group, performs higher in clutch conditions.
Clearly, Harden can’t be an elite third choice if Embiid’s LCL sprain prevents him from being a primary choice. Contemplating the Celtics went 3-1 in opposition to the Sixers within the common season, and the possible MVP is hampered with a bum knee, Boston is the large betting favourite.
However I’m a bit of scared about all this goodwill for a group that wanted six video games to beat the far inferior Atlanta Hawks. I worry that the Celtics fanbase has a bit of an excessive amount of hubris about enjoying this talented-but-flawed Sixers group.
Harden is 33, appears to be like ten kilos obese, and not scores on the rim. He’s definitely not a #1 man on a championship group, and possibly not even a #2. And it’s exactly this model, the #3 man behind Embiid and Maxey, who scares me essentially the most.
[ad_2]
Source link
