Philadelphia 76ers star James Harden has clearly lost a step or two; he is no longer the elite superstar he once was. However, he is still one of the top players in this league due to the impact he can have on the basketball court and his ability to make his teammates better.
In 21 games with the Sixers after the trade from the Brooklyn Nets, Harden averaged 21 points, 10.5 assists and 7.1 rebounds. He helped make Tyrese Maxey and Tobias Harris better 3-point shooters. Harden’s presence ensured they had open looks from deep.
Harden is still a top player in this league and he came in ranked 13th on a list put together by NBC Sports of the top 20 players in the NBA:
Harden has a lot to prove as he enters his second season in Philadelphia. His career has been highlighted by incredible regular seasons followed by underwhelming playoff performances, especially in elimination games.
Harden has a perfect running mate in Joel Embiid. If he can’t get the job done with the Sixers, can he do it anywhere else?
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Now that Harden has had a full offseason to rest his nagging hamstring injury as well as build a bond and chemistry with his teammates, he should be able to help Philadelphia move past the second round and make a deep run into the playoffs in the 2022-23 season.
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