James Harden's tenure in Philadelphia has been rather polarizing, to say the least. On one hand, the former Rockets and Nets star has had his fair share of awesome games for the Sixers. However, he's also brought some of his issues he had in his previous teams, such as indifference to defense and a penchant for offensive fouls.
That second point has now cost the Sixers a crucial win, as James Harden got called for a controversial flagrant offensive foul against the Raptors. After the game, Harden was asked about the foul, and answered: (via Justin Grasso)
It's been infuriating seeing Harden fall for the same traps he fell into his time with the Nets. The league's emphasis on unnecessary contact may have softened, but it's still there. That errant elbow from Harden to Chris Boucher cost the Sixers a chance to send the game to overtime. It's a bad error that could've easily been avoided if he just played normally.
Still, the Sixers will take the bad of Harden along with the good. Despite his woes on defense and the occasional brain fart on offense, The Beard is still a talented scorer. He helps Joel Embiid work his sweet magic down low. Even though opposing fans might be frustrated at his free-throw heavy play, you can't deny that it works.
The final challenge for them, though, will be the playoffs. Harden has historically struggled in the post-season. This season is his chance to erase the narrative about him being a playoff choker and bring the Sixers to the NBA finals.
Follow Us
Subscribe
