All-Star nod or not, James Harden has been elite for the Sixers this season
While he wasn't selected to play in Sunday's All-Star game, Harden has displayed scoring chops, passing ability, and an athletic burst that wasn't present last season.
It was another elite performance by James Harden.
The 76ers point guard was close to unstoppable in Wednesday’s 118-112 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers at the Wells Fargo Center. And he was spectacular from the start.
Harden had eight points and eight assists in the opening quarter. He drove the lane, attracted defenders, and got teammates involved.
The 33-year-old finished with 19 points, 12 assists, and four rebounds, marking his NBA-best sixth point-assist double-double in February. Harden is averaging 22.0 points, 10.1 assists, and 5.5 rebounds this month. No other Eastern Conference player has such numbers.
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But as the Sixers (38-19) closed their pre-All-Star break portion of the season, Harden had a luggage bag packed and hurried out of the locker room. The future Hall of Famer wasn’t bound for Salt Lake City to compete in Sunday’s NBA All-Star Game.
Wherever he traveled for vacation, Harden allotted time to work on becoming a better player during this season’s final 25 games and postseason.
“Continue to lift and work on my game and get in … better shape and do the things that’s necessary,” Harden said of how he intends to spend the All-Star break. “It’s going to be good. At this point, everybody is a little banged up. So it will be good for my body.”
That work ethic could have a positive impact on the Sixers.
Harden is already playing with a burst that wasn’t present at the start of the season. He’s been able to beat solid defenders off the dribble. On Wednesday, the Cavaliers attempted to put athletic forward Evan Mobley on Harden, thinking his 7-foot frame would give him fits. Bad move, and Harden went to work on him.
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He did the same thing to the Brooklyn Nets’ solid defenders in center Nic Claxton and forward Dorian-Finney Smith.
This exemplified a big difference from last year when Harden struggled to get by defenders because of a left hamstring injury. Harden then missed 14 games earlier this season with a strained tendon in his right foot. And he sat out road games on Dec. 31 against Oklahoma City and Jan. 21 against Sacramento with right foot injury management.
The time away could have contributed to Harden being omitted from the All-Star team for the first time in 11 seasons.
But he appears to be over the injuries. While being in good health has enabled Harden to get by defenders, the Sixers are tough to beat when he’s facilitating to teammates.
Wednesday was a prime example.
“It’s funny, he had points early,” coach Doc Rivers said, “but I thought it was his playmaking that got us the lead. That’s what he is. When he plays in that mode, he’s so good as a scorer, he’s going to score anyway.
“But when he’s getting everyone else shots and we’re making them, obviously we become almost unbeatable.”
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Harden leads the league with 10.8 assists along and averages 21.4 points through 41 games. The 10-time All-Star also had 35 consecutive games with at least five assists, and the Sixers are 6-1 when Harden has at least 14 assists.
Asked to evaluate his season, the three-time scoring champion said he’s been solid.
“But I know I can be better, and I will be,” Harden said. “The postseason you are going to need that, just be more aggressive, take more shots, get in the paint more. Overall, just be more aggressive offensively.”