As the final seconds of the clock ticked off at Wells Fargo Center in the 76ers’ 99-90 loss to the Heat on Thursday evening, it brought with it a familiar sight for James Harden.
Philadelphia’s season was on the line. Needing a win to keep up his championship hopes, Harden failed to emerge as the 10-time superstar who many thought would be at the biggest moment of the season.
The 32-year-old finished the game with 11 points, attempting only two shots in the second half. His last field goal around came with 3:31 to play in the second quarter.
After the match, when Harden was asked why he played for such a small part of the offense in the second half, his answer was fairly simple.
“We ran our attack, and the ball didn’t come back to me,” Harden said.
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Harden’s struggles during the playoffs this year have come under a big microscope once again. 76ers boss Daryl Morey spent months orchestrating a deal to send Ben Simmons to the Nets to acquire Harden and compete for the NBA title.
However, other than his 30-point performance in Game 4, Harden didn’t deliver on the clutch. Despite the poor performance, 76-player coach Doc Rivers said Harden’s season and performance weren’t the only reason for the team’s second-round elimination. “We win and we lose as a team,” Rivers said in a post-match press conference.
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