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NEW YORK — James Harden is correct.
The 76ers’ new level guard doesn’t have something individually left to show. Harden is one in every of 11 lively gamers named to the NBA seventy fifth Anniversary crew. He’s additionally a future Corridor of Famer who has already revamped $268.6 million and counting in NBA wage alone.
But, some assume Harden’s legacy is on the road due to what led to his being on his third crew in 14 months.
By now, most basketball fanatics know Harden got here to the Sixers in a Feb. 10 commerce from the Brooklyn Nets after wanting out of the Huge Apple. This got here after Harden had already pressured a commerce from the Houston Rockets to the Nets on Jan. 13, 2021.
Seventeen days because the commerce, his marriage with the Sixers remains to be within the honeymoon stage. Some critics assume it’s only a matter of time earlier than issues go south like they did in Houston and Brooklyn.
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However you’ll be hard-pressed to search out anybody contained in the group to say something destructive about him. Up to now, Harden has been a fantastic addition to the crew on and off the court docket.
In his Sixers’ debut on Friday, he and Joel Embiid confirmed they are often an unstoppable duo. Embiid completed with recreation highs of 34 factors and 10 rebounds whereas Harden added 27 factors, a game-high 12 assists and eight rebounds in the 133-102 road victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Harden and the Sixers (36-23) are anticipated to have related success Sunday towards the struggling New York Knicks at Madison Sq. Backyard. The Knicks (25-35) head into the 1 p.m. contest losers of 4 straight and 14 of their final 17 video games.
New York can be with out Derrick Rose (proper ankle surgical procedure), Kemba Walker (not with crew), and Quentin Grimes (proper patella subluxation).
In the meantime, because the addition of Harden, the Jap Convention third-place Sixers, on paper, have an opportunity to contend for an NBA title. That’s why he longed to play for them. The transfer was greatest for his profession with reference to acquiring that aim and being blissful.
» READ MORE: Sixers’ James Harden believes he’s one of the NBA’s best teammates
So he mentioned he and his teammates have one thing to show regarding the frequent aim of successful that championship trophy.
“I’ve been doing this factor for a really very long time,” Harden mentioned. “I don’t have [anything] to show individually. As a unit, I feel now we have one thing to show.”
And if we’re being severe, it’s onerous to fault a participant of his stature for wanting out of Houston final season. It’s now not the identical profitable franchise he helped to construct throughout his eight-plus-season tenure there.
Mike D’Antonio introduced he wouldn’t return because the Rockets coach on Sept. 13, 2020, the day after Houston misplaced to the Los Angeles Lakers within the Western Convention quarterfinals. That capped a string of eight straight Rockets postseason appearances.
A month later, Daryl Morey introduced his resignation because the Rockets common supervisor, efficient Nov. 1. Morey was employed because the Sixers’ president of basketball operations on Nov. 2.
With Houston on the verge of a rebuild, Harden wished out and was ultimately traded to Brooklyn on Jan. 13, 2021. The Rockets misplaced six of their first 9 video games and so they went on to complete the 2020-21 season with a league-worst 17-55 file.
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He went to Brooklyn to type a Huge Three with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. However the trio performed simply 16 video games collectively throughout Harden’s tenure there due to accidents and circumstances, which included the influence of Irving’s unvaccinated standing. And the title-favored Nets are in a disappointing eighth place within the convention standings.
So whereas the optics most likely weren’t in Harden’s favor, it’s onerous to fault somebody for desirous to be in a greater scenario. And let’s face it, at 32 years previous, Harden’s time to win a title in his prime might be operating out.
Plus, he’s achieved principally every part besides taking part in for an NBA title.
His accolades embrace being the 2018 MVP, being a three-time scoring champion, a seven-time All-NBA choice, a 10-time All-Star, and the 2012 Sixth Man of the Yr.
So Harden’s proper. The one factor left to show is he and his Sixers teammates collectively successful an NBA title.
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