After a nail-biting matchup with the Cleveland Cavaliers Wednesday, the Philadelphia 76ers traveled home for a quick three-game homestand. First up was a meeting with Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks.

Things were neck-and-neck through the first half, but the Sixers managed to pull away for good coming out of halftime. In the end, they came away with their second-straight win by a final score of 111-101.

Recently, production outside of the starting lineup has been hard to come by for the Sixers. The second unit has been on the wrong end of multiple big runs over the past week. Despite the recent struggles, the bench unit sparked the surge that allowed the Sixers to take full control against Dallas.

Along with solid production from role players like Georges Niang and DeAndre Jordan, James Harden's all-around performance was a major catalyst in the victory. In 41 minutes of action, he tallied 24 points, seven rebounds, 12 assists, and two steals.

Finding a proper balance on the floor has been a challenge for Harden as of late but was a non-issue Friday night. Doc Rivers continues to push the former MVP to be the ‘aggressive' version of himself, and the message seems to be getting across.

Since Harden entered the fray, Rivers has staggered the minutes of his two stars to keep a top talent on the floor at all times. Staying afloat during the non-Embiid minutes is a top priority for the Sixers, and Harden is the solution to doing so.

Running with the second unit, Harden completely took over the game in the fourth quarter. Nearly half his points came in the final period, along with setting up teammates for easy looks. To put it simply, Harden performed the way the Sixers need him to when leading the bench lineup.

After the game, Harden talked about his play down the stretch. To him, it came down to just wanting to be more aggressive as a scorer.

“I just wanted to be a little more aggressive. Just take advantage of the matchups and get the best shot available. Whether it was my shot or getting to the basket and creating opportunities for teammates, that's what I'm going to do. I saw the opportunity, seen the window, and just wanted to be aggressive and take advantage of it,” said Harden.

How things unfolded Friday is why Rivers urged Harden to lean into his aggressive side. When he asserts himself on the offensive end, all it does is open up more lanes to showcase his elite playmaking. Dallas attempted to shrink the floor on Harden once he got going, and he countered with lobs to Jordan and kicking to Niang beyond the arc.

Following a hot start from Harden in his opening games with the Sixers, things got a little shaky. Outings like the one he had Friday are a huge step in the right direction. With only 14 games left to go in the regular season, the Sixers continue their race against time. Seeing Harden comfortably balance when to take over and when to facilitate is crucial with the postseason looming.