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James Harden hasn't been his usual self in the first two games of the 2022 playoffs, and Skip Bayless doesn't like what he has seen so far from the Philadelphia 76ers star.
The Sixers dominated Games 1 and 2 against the Toronto Raptors, but it was Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid who starred for the team in those outings. While Harden had a solid 22-point, 14-assist game in the opener, he scored just 14 in the second and only attempted nine shots.
Of course this sparked concerns among fans and experts, with Shannon Sharpe and Bayless highlighting that the Sixers will not win if Harden doesn't play his game. The latter even went as far as to saying that Harden looked old with the way he is playing for Philly.
“He [James Harden] is starting to look old to me. He's becoming an old man right before your very eyes,” Bayless said of Harden, via Undisputed.
It might be too early to jump into conclusions, especially since it's possible that the emergence of Tyrese Maxey has simply lessened the offensive burden on James Harden. As seen in Game 1, he still made an impact with his playmaking.
However, to Shannon Sharpe and Skip Bayless' point, the Sixers need Harden to step up and not step back. For them to have any chance of winning the playoffs, Harden has to be a dominant force alongside JoJo. Maxey can definitely help and improve their chances of winning, but it has to be them to lead the team to the promised land.
Hopefully, though, the Game 2 play from Harden was just a blip on the radar and nothing else.
