PHILADELPHIA — James Harden has always been known as a playmaker. But in recent games, the Philadelphia 76ers' floor general is really showing a knack for setting up his teammates. In the Sixers' 119-104 win over the Los Angeles Clippers,
Harden didn't shoot his best from the field but was in his bag as a playmaker. His 21 assists were a career-high and he notched a historic triple-double. The Sixers came back from a 20-point deficit thanks to the brilliance of him and Joel Embiid, who feasted thanks to Harden's playmaking.
Despite missing a month with a foot injury, Harden has been a huge difference-maker in his return to action. It has compensated for his struggles as a scorer and is bringing the Sixers' offense back from the dead. And it's not taking any crazy schemes to do it.
”I'm getting more comfortable. I think Doc is allowing me to just be me in running the team, running the show,” James Harden said. “Think about it, this is still our first year with each other, as far as the team, but it's game by game. Different teams show us different schemes defensively. Tonight, they try to switch and put a guard on Joel so it's about him recognizing it, the team recognizing it, getting it to his spot, get him the ball, he makes the play and then we get the shot, or vice versa. So it's really like learning on the fly, learning on the job which is a cool thing because you got high-IQ players and smart players.”
Harden's chemistry with Embiid in pick-and-rolls is growing. It's extra important for Harden to become more accustomed to playmaking and running pick-and-rolls as he loses his ability to get by defenders in isolation. He's going to have to alter his game from what it was in his heyday but, as has been the case recently, it could really pay off for him and the Sixers.
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