PHILADELPHIA–The Philadelphia 76ers welcomed James Harden back to the lineup on Monday after he missed 14 games due to a right foot tendon strain and in two games since his return, his minutes have been high.
The Sixers wanted to ease Harden back into things and have him on a bit of a minutes restriction, but he played 38 minutes in his return to the lineup and then he played 47 minutes in Friday’s win over the Los Angeles Lakers. Granted, the game on Monday went into double overtime and Friday’s game also went into overtime, but him playing that many minutes is not a great sign.
“I was supposed to have a minute restriction last game and then tonight (Friday),” laughed Harden. “I guess I’m alright, you know? We gotta find a way to just be better throughout the course of the game so I’m not having to play these loads of minutes, but I love the game of basketball. I like to hoop so it is what it is.”
On one side, Harden is 33 years old and coming back from a foot injury. The Sixers should probably limit his minutes, as well as Joel Embiid’s, out on the floor. Especially, in December and with 57 games still to go before the playoffs.
On the flip side, the Sixers did have three days off after Monday’s game and they were able to get some ample rest.
“It’s too early,” said coach Doc Rivers. “I’m not that concerned. Again, the three days of rest, we didn’t do much in these three days. Literally, the second day we literally watched film so that’s two days off in a row. Yesterday (Thursday) didn’t go very hard because we don’t have enough guys to do anything in practice so we felt pretty good about heavy minutes tonight.”
At the same time, the Sixers need Harden, as well as Embiid, at their best for when the games matter the most in April and May. They shouldn’t push these guys so early in the season despite the few days off they were able to get after the road trip.
“No, I was fine with their minutes,” Rivers added. “We just had three days off. Got a day off tomorrow (Saturday). We knew that going into the game that if it was going to be a high minute game, we can have one of those games right now. Had it been one of those stretches where it was every other game that you go on, they wouldn’t have played minutes like that.”
The Sixers play host to the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday.
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