Even with Joel Embiid dealing with a knee injury that may hamper his 2023 postseason performance, the Philadelphia 76ers have a golden opportunity to at least win the Eastern Conference crown if they manage to vanquish the Boston Celtics in their second-round tussle. What the Sixers will be needing to overcome the Celtics, however, is a herculean effort from James Harden, someone who doesn't particularly have a sterling reputation as a playoff performer.

And the last thing the Sixers will need is a distracted version of Harden, who recently dealt with a minor altercation in his free time.

According to TMZ, James Harden was involved in a heated argument with a man outside of the Flamingo on the Las Vegas Strip in Nevada. Harden, in the heat of the moment, ended up “tapping” the guy's chest before “smacking” him directly on the face. This happened only two days after the Sixers made quick work of the Brooklyn Nets in the first round.

The reason behind the dispute wasn't made clear, although at the very least, it did not escalate to the point that it necessitated the involvement of the police.

The report added that the Sixers star point guard and the man he got into an argument with proceeded with their night “as if nothing happened”. This should indicate that James Harden isn't necessarily in danger of getting involved in off-court troubles that could potentially linger during their second-round battle against the Celtics.

The Sixers will have three more days to get into the right headspace, as they continue their postseason run on Monday, 7:30 PM E.T. at TD Garden.