In 21 games for the Philadelphia 76ers after the trade deadline, James Harden averaged 21 points, 10.5 assists and 7.1 rebounds. On paper, those are fine numbers for any NBA player, but for Harden? They were not up to par.
Harden averaged 29.6 points per game across nine seasons with Houston. That is the guy a lot of Sixers fans were hoping to acquire when Philadelphia made the move for the future Hall of Famer.
However, The Beard was dealing with a hamstring injury and he wasn’t the same player. Even Joel Embiid admitted the Sixers don’t have that guy anymore.
However, Harden promises to be explosive again. His hamstring is healing, and he is resting and preparing for the upcoming season. He wants to be that guy again for Philadelphia and lead it on the floor.
Harden told the AP News:
“I wasn’t able to get in my spots and get to where I needed to get to without thinking about it, so that right there slowed my confidence down,” he said. “It was craziness, but I’m finally back. I’ll be a lot more aggressive scoring-wise just because my body allows me to.”
Harden and the Sixers will also benefit from having a full summer and a full training camp together. They will be able to grow more chemistry and continue to grow as a unit.
The veteran out of Arizona State is still one of the top players in this league. The way he can affect a game with his passing and the way he still attacks the glass is impressive. He makes everybody better. Tyrese Maxey and Tobias Harris shot lights out from deep after the All-Star break with Harden leading the way.
This post originally appeared on Sixers Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
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