Since the start of the season with Brooklyn and even the majority of the time he has spent with Philadelphia, James Harden did not become himself again. We wondered a lot whether to see this as a lack of involvement and seriousness, or simply because he is no longer physically able to play in the same way and with the same success. When Harden isn’t aggressive offensively, he almost walks through matches like a ghost. When he tries to be, it all too rarely translates into performances that can really help the Sixers offload a bit. Joel Embiidwho himself called for more offensive activity from his teammate.
Precisely, the Cameroonian will be absent for the first two matches, minimum, of the series which opposes Philadelphia to Miami from next night. The pressure is on Harden like never since leaving Houston. How will the 2018 MVP approach this responsibility?
“I just have to be more aggressive. I’ve been doing this for a long time. I take what the defense gives me and I make the right choices once in the situation. Spacing, attacks from the baskets… We have to play free and with a community trust.
I had opportunities to score a lot of points this season and I’m still averaging around 20 points in the regular season and 18 or 19 in the playoffs. At the point where I am, it’s a sacrifice. I could score 30 points but we lose the game, or score 19 but we win. I will do what it takes to win. I will sacrifice myself, I am the ultimate team player.”
We want to put the statements in context, but it still sounds a bit like an excuse to anticipate the fact that he will not be able to take 25 shots to carry the Sixers when the situation may require it. Or that it will display a problematic address if necessary…
Maybe we’re wrong and James Harden will activate the best version of himself at the right time. Unfortunately, skepticism makes sense when you consider that the “Bearded One” tends to struggle in the post-season.
It’s up to him to prove the contrary from next night, at 1:30 a.m., on the South Beach side.
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