Sixers-Raptors game two takeaway: James Harden is just fine
James Harden posted 14 points on 3-of-9 shooting (1-of-4 from deep) and supplied six rebounds and six assists. Those are not the numbers fans expected when the Simmons-for-Harden trade was announced, and you can bet the morning talk shows will bring up Harden’s stat line as some manner of “concerning trend.”
And look, in some ways, it is. Harden is clearly on the downswing of his career, and he’s no longer the MVP-caliber player who once graced the court in Houston. Now, it’s time to stop comparing him to his prime self. That will get you nowhere, and there’s no real benefit to bemoaning what could have been in some alternative, healthy-hamstring timeline. Instead, let’s appreciate Harden for what he is right now: a damn good basketball player who contributes well beyond the “points” section of the box score.
Harden is still, right now at this very moment, one of the best passers in the game of basketball. Not because he fills up the assists column like Russell Westbrook, or because he has LaMelo Ball’s flare and zest, but because Harden is a bona fide genius, and one of the absolute savviest veterans in the league. Even in his slower state, even when he’s not beating guys off the dribble straight up. Harden can’t overpower his defender anymore, but he can certainly out-think his defender.
If what the Sixers get from James Harden is elite-level playmaking and halfcourt manipulation of the defense, they will be extremely difficult to stop. Even if his points per game average falls in the 15-25 range, rather than the 25-35 range, the Sixers have a shot at the NBA championship due to Harden’s elite floor game and his ability to elevate teammates. Tyrese Maxey and Tobias Harris deserve a ton of credit for improving and adjusting over time, and Joel Embiid is an undisputed top-3 MVP candidate, but Harris and Maxey aren’t playing at this level without Harden’s impact. Harden is getting the ball to Maxey and Harris in prime positions to score, while Embiid’s gravity in the post makes Philadelphia’s halfcourt offense an absolute handful even for Toronto’s switchy, lengthy defense.
The Sixers have built a contender around Joel Embiid, and more broadly, around a four-player core. Does James Harden not having his scoring legs make it harder to beat the Milwaukees or Bostons of the world? Absolutely. Would it be better if Harden was still Houston Harden? Absolutely. But that’s not the Harden Philadelphia traded for at the deadline, and the Harden Philadelphia currently has is still plenty impactful. With Embiid commanding the middle more effectively than ever, and with both Maxey and Harris playing prime basketball, Harden can afford to take a backseat every now and then and direct traffic. He still poses a threat from 3-point range, defenses can never comfortably ignore him, and the basketball I.Q. is sky-high. Do not panic over James Harden. Instead, try to accept him for who he is now.