The Philadelphia 76ers advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals after two night of great goalscorers Joel Embiid and James Harden. Shaquille O’Neal, former NBA Champion analyst, believes James Harden’s form will be crucial for the Philadelphia 76ers to go further at the end of the season.
The Philadelphia 76ers finally enjoyed the excitement created in the first 3 games of the first round of the 2022 playoffs. In these matchups, they averaged 116 points per game. But in the next 2 games, their score stream deteriorated as they were limited to around 95 points per game, resulting in brutal losses. Joel Embiid tried hard to get them across the line, but the bad shot from the other stars cost them some play. But in Game 3, James Harden and Tyrese Maxey stepped in with Joel Embiid on their way to the Semis conference.
According to Shaq, although Joel Embiid has been performing great in the games, James Harden’s performance will determine the outcome of future matchups. It highlights the role Harden will play in shaping the postseason for the 76ers.
Is James Harden the key to unlocking the 76ers’ championship dreams?
James Harden played in just 21 regular season games with the 76ers and averaged a somewhat impressive 21 points, 7 rebounds and 11 assists for the new team. The 32-year-old guard had some trouble shooting accuracy, but made a significant impact after the trade.
He averaged 19 points, 10 assists and 5 rebounds in a 6-game series against the Toronto Raptors. In the closing game, he added 22 points and accelerated the team’s offense with 15 assists. 4-time NBA ChampionShaquille O’Neal said, “James played well (so far), played evenly today. Joe, Joe, MVP nominee, but you know James Harden is still the key you know. The better he plays, the further they go.”
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Joel Embiid struggled to get into the playoff season, but the addition of James Harden gave the perimeter championship contenders an obvious shot at the NBA Finals. Playing a 7-game streak against the best opponents is never easy for a lone superstar like Joel Embiid, but adding an experienced, efficient guard like James Harden certainly eases the pressure.
Also, Tobias Harris and Tyrese Maxey had great games in the regular season, but the playoffs are different. As the end-of-season games progress, the opposing teams get tougher. It’s clear that Joel Embiid requires an experienced, consistent, and elite marksman to deliver a double attack on his side.
Eastern Conference leaders Miami Heat will be one of the toughest tests for the Philadelphia-based team. While the Heat checks out their players for injuries, Philadelphia can’t miss a sneak win to advance to the conference finals.
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