The Sixers looked like crap in Game 4. Toronto blitzed them out of the gates, Nick Nurse pushed all the right buttons, and the series shifted back to Philadelphia for Game 5. Surely, we all thought, the Sixers would come out of the gates with some fire, some sense of pride, and look to stomp out Toronto’s burgeoning flame. I guess not.
Whatever disinterest the Sixers had in Game 4 pales in comparison to the disinterest and malaise that plagued Philadelphia in Game 5. James Harden had his worst game yet, Tyrese Maxey made zero tangible impact, Joel Embiid looked completely out of it on defense, and Matisse Thybulle’s triumphant return to action reminded fans of why his absence in Toronto was never lamented.
The Raptors did not roll over and die. The Sixers did, and now we’re all looking toward Thursday with a pervasive sense of dread. Not long ago, the Sixers very poetically took control of the series 3-0. Only this team, with this coach, could turn around and make the entire fanbase panic.
Sixers-Raptors game five takeaways: James Harden, WYD?
I have defended James Harden in the past. He’s one of the smartest dudes in the game and his playmaking has unlocked better versions of Tyrese Maxey, Tobias Harris, and Joel Embiid. Even if he’s not dominating as a scorer, Harden can still elevate Philadelphia and impact winning.
This is two straight indefensibly bad performances from Harden, with Game 5 being by far his worst outing of the playoffs (and one of his worst as a Sixer, with only that cursed Brooklyn game standing below it). He scored 15 points on 4-of-11 shooting, but frankly, that doesn’t do justice to how bad he was offensively. He hit some 3s late, with the game mostly out of hand, but for the first 3.5 quarters, Harden was missing in action.
It’s unacceptable. Whatever ails Harden — be it age, the hamstring, or both — cannot excuse his complete lack of purpose or determination offensively. He committed five turnovers to his seven assists and he looked entirely uninterested in scoring the ball (he passed up a couple layups that would make Ben Simmons proud). When Harden didn’t feel actively harmful, he felt completely invisible. You cannot be the No. 2 star on a so-called championship contender and have nights like James Harden just had.
There’s every reason to expect Harden can bounce back to some degree. He’s had much better games in this series, and he can still shape the game with his playmaking and trademark patience. That said, smart defenses will dare Harden to beat them. Can he do that right now?