James Harden refused to buy into the idea that his most productive days were behind him. Following the Philadelphia 76ers’ final playoff game last season, Harden looked forward to getting an entire offseason without rehab or drama so he could focus solely on getting back to the player he once was with the Houston Rockets.
Days before the Sixers fired up training camp in Charleston, Harden mentioned that if all goes according to plan, he just might re-enter the MVP conversation around the NBA.
So far, Harden’s on the right track. Although the Sixers just wrapped up Game 2 of 82, Harden’s been the most productive player by far. Averaging 39 minutes on the court, Harden has put up 33 points per game while producing eight assists per game and coming down with eight rebounds per game.
Last year, Harden averaged 21 points in 21 games with the Sixers. When he was with the Brooklyn Nets, those numbers weren’t much better, as he averaged 22 points in 44 games. It was a down season that led many to believe the ten-time All-Star was regressing.
As Harden shows flashes of his Houston Rockets version self, do his teammates get a sense he’s playing with a chip on his shoulder? Tyrese Maxey recently weighed in.
“He’s a first-ballot Hall of Famer,” said the young guard. “He doesn’t have anything to prove to anybody other than to help us win a championship. I think that’s all he really cares about.”
Harden confirmed that much on Thursday night after the Sixers nearly defeated the Milwaukee Bucks thanks to Harden’s fourth-quarter dominance.
“It’s not even about the individual,” said Harden on Thursday. “The individual is great, and I’ll do whatever it takes for the betterment of this team, but I think all of us need to be playing at a high level. I think that’s a part of my job.”
So far, Harden’s solo success hasn’t translated to wins. Despite putting up MVP numbers in the first two outings, the Sixers are winless. Knowing he needs to keep his game sharp, Harden’s only motivation right now is trying to win games with his team.
“[He does] whatever it takes to help us win,” said Harden. “If it’s going out there and scoring 35 or going out there and scoring 18 and having 17 assists, he doesn’t really care he just wants to win. So, I don’t know if the chip on his shoulder is to prove anything. I think the only chip he has is to win, and I think that’s a lot of guys on our team.”
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