After a rough start to his tenure with the Philadelphia 76ers, James Harden has something to prove in the 2022-23 NBA season. He is ready to show that he is still an elite player and one that can help lead the Sixers to their ultimate goal: the championship.
Harden told Joe Vardon of The Athletic that winning is the biggest thing on his mind. The Sixers veteran doesn't care what type of stat line he has as long as the team can win a championship.
“Me averaging 20 points, averaging damn near a triple-double, us winning at a high rate, one or two seed, giving us a really good chance where we’re all playing really good basketball, or averaging 28 in the same kind of thing — it’s all the same,” James Harden said, via The Athletic. “Ultimately, it’s winning a championship. The numbers don’t really mean anything, individually.”
A championship is the biggest accomplishment missing from Harden's fantastic resumé. He has accomplished almost everything else of note at the NBA level. His mindset heading into the season is just what the Sixers need as they look to contend for a title. Additionally, though, they will need him to bounce back from his poor shooting last season.
Adjusting to the Sixers' offense has been a bit of a challenge for Harden. Sixers head coach Doc Rivers has been working with him to be aggressive in getting his shots on top of being the table setter for the offense. Although it will take some time, Harden has shown the willingness to put in the work and get better for the team.
Harden's numbers may go down but his comfort within the offense should improve, which is the most important thing for him and the Sixers. Philadelphia is eager to win its first NBA championship since 1983.
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