Sixers’ James Harden shoots down ‘ball hog’ reputation

NEW YORK — Has James Harden gotten a bum rap?

Even though the point guard is averaging a league second-best 10.3 assists, he came to the 76ers with the reputation of being a ball hog.

But that has been far from the case through the first two games he’s played since being acquired with Paul Millsap from the Nets on Feb. 10.

Harden had 29 points, a season-high-tying 16 assists and a season-high five steals in Sunday’s 125-109 victory over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. This comes after he had 27 points, 12 assists, and eight rebounds in Friday’s 133-102 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Target Center.

He became the first player in NBA history to have at least 25 points and 12 assists in his first two games with a new team. Harden is also averaging 14 assists while doing a solid job of getting teammates involved.

After he scored the Sixers’ first basket, Harden assisted on the next three on Sunday. His ability to make teammates better goes against what critics warned once the trade was made because of his being a ball-dominant isolation player with Houston. The Rockets traded him to the Nets on Jan. 13, 2021. Despite playing a well-rounded game in Brooklyn, the ball-hog tag stuck with him.

“I don’t care what people say,” Harden said Sunday. “Honestly, I really don’t care at all what people say. I know how skilled and the work I put in to be one of the best basketball players. Nothing was given to me. I wasn’t one of the best basketball players growing up. I had to work every single day to be in the position I am today.

“So there’s nothing that nobody can tell me about my game. I put the work in. I go out there and produce. I try to be the best teammate I can be every single night.”

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Harden is right about being one of the NBA’s best players.

His accolades include being the 2018 MVP, a three-time scoring champion, a seven-time All-NBA selection, a 10-time All-Star, and the 2012 Sixth Man of the Year.

The future Hall of Famer is also one of 11 active players named to the NBA 75th Anniversary team.

While those are major accomplishments, the 32-year-old is far from complacent.

“Once it’s all said and done, and I’m not able to play no more, I want to be up there with the best, the best to ever do it,” Harden said. “Top 75 is a great starting point.”

It should come as no surprise that Doc Rivers remained in contact with Andre Drummond even after the Sixers traded Drummond to the Nets on Feb. 10

The two have had a relationship since Drummond was a roommate of Rivers’ adopted Adam Jones at St. Thomas More in Connecticut more than 10 years ago.

To Rivers’ recollection, they’ve spoken two or three times after games since the trade.

“My comments seem like very sarcastic ones,” he said. “He made a behind-the-back, left-handed pass the other night that went out of bounds. And I just texted him, ‘What the [freak].’ He texted back, ‘I had to try it.’

“But he’s playing well, man. I’m happy for him.”