James Harden stole the show on Monday night with an epic Game 1 performance for the Philadelphia 76ers. Joel Embiid was forced to sit out the series opener against the Boston Celtics, but Harden stepped it up in a major way for the Sixers.
Harden capped off his 45-point scoring outburst with an epic go-ahead triple with just 8.4 seconds remaining in the game. It turned out to be the dagger for the Sixers as they completed a shock win over Boston at the TD Garden:
JAMES HARDEN! 45 POINTS AND THE LEAD đ„pic.twitter.com/NUCjaujL4f
â ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) May 2, 2023
There was no coming back for the Celtics after that ice-cold dagger from Harden. The Sixers sealed the win, 119-115, and it was clearly thanks in large part to a majestic performance from James Harden. The former league MVP threw it back a couple of years as he matched his playoff career-high with 45 on the evening.
James was a man on a mission in this one and he was aggressive from the get-go. He went 17-of-30 from the field and 7-of-14 from beyond the arc, while also adding six assists, a rebound, and two steals in 39 minutes of action.
No Joel Embiid, no problem. Harden knew what the Sixers needed from him and boy did he answer the bell. Philly had no right to win this game without Embiid, but somehow, Harden and Co. were able to shock the home team with a surprise win. This all of a sudden changes the dynamics of this series with the Sixers now stealing away home-court advantage from the mighty Celtics.
Â
Follow Us
Subscribe