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James Harden says he’s wanting ahead to the chance to attempt to carry Philadelphia a title.
James Harden has had, at varied factors in his super profession, Kevin Durant (twice), Russell Westbrook (twice), Chris Paul and Kyrie Irving as teammates. For no matter cause, he couldn’t win a championship with them or didn’t stick with them lengthy sufficient to see if a championship may occur.
And this record doesn’t embody Dwight Howard, who was nonetheless considerably in his prime when he briefly teamed with Harden.
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Subsequently, there’s an fascinating and intently contested race in progress proper now in Harden’s world, between time, excuses and All-Star teammates. He’s operating out of all three.
Subsequent up is Joel Embiid, by far the most effective huge man Harden has ever had, a beastly middle who’s piecing collectively a possible Kia MVP season, and a thirsty star who’s anxious if not determined to win a championship himself. With out Simmons and Harden, Embiid has averaged 29.6 factors, 11.2 rebounds and a career-high 4.5 assists.
“There’s nonetheless one other stage I can get to, that I consider I can get to,” Embiid mentioned.
As soon as once more, Harden is blessed with a co-star who’s his equal or higher, besides now there’s a bit extra urgency to lastly money in as Harden’s journey shifts to Philadelphia.
“For me, it made sense,” he mentioned.
these three. 👌 pic.twitter.com/XAx5O16cnU
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) February 25, 2022
The Sixers invested heavily in Harden, from a gift and future standpoint. They sacrificed depth in Seth Curry and Andre Drummond, together with an unprotected 2022 first-round choose and a 2027 protected first-rounder. After all, the Sixers have been able to rid themselves of Ben Simmons, however that was a steep value, and who knew the Sixers needed to toss in these sweeteners to commerce a gifted, but flawed and scarred younger participant like Simmons who was beneath contract for 2 extra seasons?
However Daryl Morey, the Philly GM, has a delicate spot for Harden and pressed exhausting to be reunited with the star he had in Houston. Certainly, Morey is on the new griddle with this commerce, particularly as a result of Harden’s contract solely has a participant possibility yr remaining. Which means the Sixers are all however ready to increase Harden past subsequent season’s $47 million, a dangerous transfer for a 32-year-old whose greatest years are maybe behind him.
However what about Harden? Doesn’t he, as nicely, really feel some warmth with this transfer? Harden angled his approach out of Brooklyn, and fewer than a yr earlier, out of Houston as nicely. He pulled the plug on each conditions in an effort to discover … one thing else. And right here we’re.
James Harden talks about initially eager to be in Philadelphia when he left Houston.
“Like Daryl mentioned, the chance to win is now,” Harden mentioned. “Joel is enjoying the most effective he’s ever performed. So my job is to return on the market and assist him and assist your complete workforce win a championship this yr and in years going ahead.”
Harden is anticipated to make his Sixers debut Friday towards the Timberwolves. What follows is a abstract of his earlier groups and tandems, the highs and lows, and why they now not exist:
The younger Thunder core of Kevin Durant, James Harden and Russell Westbrook reached the 2012 NBA Finals.
Oklahoma Metropolis, 2009-2012 (Durant and Westbrook): The Thunder had three future MVPs within the lineup, plus Serge Ibaka, and sometime there shall be a documentary performed on this setup and the way it collapsed. Principally, the Thunder couldn’t pay everybody, and basically selected Ibaka over Harden.
They prolonged Ibaka and with the Harden negotiations on deck, determined to commerce him if solely as a result of, on the time, Harden was a sixth man — a strong one, however nonetheless — and the heart of that workforce have been Durant and Westbrook. They reached the NBA Finals collectively (Harden performed poorly in that sequence loss to Miami) and OKC determined paying a file value for a bench participant was in all probability not of their greatest wage cap pursuits, on condition that Durant’s and Westbrook’s extensions have been approaching.
In hindsight, shouldn’t OKC have paid everybody and accepted the luxurious tax punishment? Straightforward to say because it’s not your cash; nonetheless, this was a type of pay-now and worry-later conditions, as a result of OKC, flushed with younger expertise, would’ve been within the championship hunt for years.
James Harden and Chris Paul didn’t get the Rockets previous the Warriors within the playoffs.
Houston, 2012-2020 (Westbrook, Paul): Harden turned a celebrity in Houston as a result of his coach, Mike D’Antoni, and the franchise did every little thing doable to appease him and showcase his improved capturing and playmaking expertise. Within the course of, the sunshine stayed inexperienced and the leverage and sway he loved additionally elevated his ego alongside along with his recreation and standing.
That mixture created a deadly three-time scoring champ and MVP, and likewise a franchise participant who didn’t make it straightforward to discover a match for him.
Chris Paul’s arrival appeared a great match. The Rockets all of a sudden had a pair of artistic guards who may play on or off the ball, very similar to Isiah Thomas and Joe Dumars did for years (and two title groups) in Detroit. Not like these two, nevertheless, Harden and Paul by no means meshed and their egos and philosophies clashed a lot too usually, particularly within the playoffs the place they couldn’t get past the Warriors. Paul struggling a hamstring pull with a 3-2 playoff sequence lead over Golden State three years in the past; that didn’t assist, both, and he’d had sufficient after simply two years with Harden.
Paul was thought of an growing old participant when Houston swapped him for Westbrook in 2019; the Rockets needed to toss a pair of first-round sweeteners to OKC, surprising in hindsight. Once more, on the floor, this new mixture seemed to be a strong match, particularly since Harden and Westbrook have been as soon as teammates and nonetheless shut mates.
Nevertheless it collapsed within the 2020 Orlando bubble when the Rockets have been bounced in 5 video games by the Lakers within the playoffs. When Morey then fled to Philly and Westbrook was traded to Washington, Harden wasn’t feeling snug a few longer keep in Houston or an try to attempt once more, this time with John Wall.
Take a look at the highest buckets from the star trio’s debut.
Brooklyn, 2020-22 (Durant, Irving): Harden pouted and compelled Houston’s arms and eventually acquired what he wished for — a commerce to a contender.
As he mentioned lately, the Nets weren’t his first selection, however they provided him his greatest likelihood, to that time, of successful a title. On the time, Durant was lastly healed, however Harden and Irving handled accidents that finally doomed Brooklyn in final yr’s playoffs. Properly, that, together with Durant toeing the 3-point stripe within the East semis towards the Bucks.
When this season started, Brooklyn seemed mighty … till New York Metropolis flexed its well being and security regulation and prevented Irving from enjoying residence video games. Due to accidents and Irving’s stance, the three performed solely 16 video games collectively. The scenario appeared weak to one more collapse for Harden, and for the second time in lower than 13 months, he requested out.
And now, it’s Philadelphia and Embiid.
“I imply, it wasn’t deliberate like this,” Harden mentioned. “Fourteen months in the past, I didn’t see myself with three completely different groups. However we’re right here as we speak and I’m completely satisfied.”
As soon as once more, the match seems strong. Definitely, the Sixers and coach Doc Rivers will seize benefit of the pick-and-roll alternatives between a dominant huge man and a artful dribbler. In a best-case situation, Harden-Embiid could possibly be the league’s most vicious pick-and-rollers in years, perhaps since Karl Malone and John Stockton.
Significantly: Embiid is a big-body middle who can act as a large protect on the choose, giving Harden an opportunity to both step again and shoot a 3, or permit Embiid to roll to the rim and feed him for a dunk, or let Embiid pick-and-pop (Embiid is an efficient outdoors shooter), or Harden can use the mismatch off the choose to assault the rim himself. The choices are a number of, and so they favor Philly.
Shop now: Harden’s 76ers jersey
Joel Embiid and James Harden are the brand new star duo in Philadelphia because the 76ers look to win their 1st title since 1983.
“I believe we complement one another,” Harden mentioned. “Clearly, the entire world is aware of how nice Joel has been enjoying — not simply scoring with the basketball, however rebounding. His presence alone is unbelievable. I really feel like I’m the identical approach so far as making my teammates higher and doing various things that impression the sport on the highest stage.”
This shall be a course of, nevertheless. As a result of: What number of occasions has Embiid ever set a choose for anybody? And the way usually has Harden been in pick-and-roll conditions with a giant man?
The opposite problem is the Sixers’ lack of depth, a scenario brought on by delivery Curry and Drummond to Brooklyn. Embiid should burn heavy minutes within the upcoming playoffs if the Sixers can’t get respectable manufacturing from Willie Cauley-Stein, who was simply signed to a 10-day contract as a backup. And with out Curry, the Sixers hope Tyrese Maxey can deal with heavy minutes as nicely, and likewise pray Danny Inexperienced, amongst others, can substitute Curry’s accuracy from deep.
It’s a recent begin for Harden, but once more, and an opportunity to attach with one more teammate who can produce the championship that has eluded him. However he is aware of he’s on the clock, and on the spot.
“Right here in Philly we now have a possibility,” Harden mentioned, “and I’m wanting ahead to it.”
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Shaun Powell has lined the NBA for greater than 25 years. You possibly can e-mail him here, discover his archive here and observe him on Twitter.
The views on this web page don’t essentially replicate the views of the NBA, its golf equipment or Turner Broadcasting.
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