PHILADELPHIA — Star James Harden is not the ruthless scorer he once was during his heyday with the Houston Rockets. Now he is is an elite playmaker who can still put the ball in the basket when the time calls for it.
The man who gets the Philadelphia 76ers organized on offense every night led the league in assists (10.7 per game) during the season. He continues to find ways to be effective, get everybody to their spots on the floor and get everyone the touches they need.
Brooklyn Nets coach Jacque Vaughn, who was an assistant to Steve Nash while Harden was in Brooklyn, credited and praised The Beard for what he has done in Philadelphia.
“James is, you give him credit,” Vaughn started. “He’s a high-level, talented basketball player, and I think he sees things before they happen. You give him credit for that. He’s able to orchestrate on the fly. He knows where to put guys in order to take advantage of situations. He’s always had that knack.”
The Sixers have relied on Harden and Joel Embiid all season long and for good reason. Embiid led the league in scoring at 33.1 per game while Harden led the league in assists. Considering the combined talent, the two of them are just dominant as a tandem.
“He’s figured out how to play with Joel and they’ve changed from the beginning,” Vaughn added. “You see them play pick-and-roll. What that looks like, still has the ability to make shots which he did the other night versus us high level still playing at this time of the year.”
Harden and the Sixers look for a 3-0 stranglehold on the Nets when this series shifts to Barclays Center on Thursday.
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