James Harden had 31 points and nine assists in Philadelphia's Game 4 win and tied the series at two. The song is called "2:21." Harris was trying to take it easy on his windpipe after absorbing an accidental elbow to the neck from Adebayo in the second half of the Philadelphia 76ers 116-108 win against the Miami Heat on Sunday. Harris got to the heart of the matter when he was asked about James Harden and his 31 points. Harris said that he needed him to do what he does on a nightly basis. James Harden has a new vision. He doesn't need to repeat his performance from last year to win. He doesn't need to hit a game-ending shot or fill up the box score. He doesn't need to take 20 shots, which used to be a low number for him. In the fourth game of the series, Harden scored or assisted on 54 of the 98 points the 76ers scored while he was on the court. The version of James Harden that the 76ers traded for in February needs to be solid and organize the team's offense based on how the defense is playing him. The rest can be done by the man. Harris and Maxey can fill in the scoring and playmaking gaps. Danny Green is able to space the floor. Harden needs to be the quarterback. Harris said that he does a great job of evaluating the game. He got going tonight. You could see the confidence in him when he got downhill first, and then the 3-ball opened it up for him. He sees a lot of defensive coverage. Sometimes it is difficult for him to be aggressive on the offensive end because they zone up the court. When he is in a good mood, we just get him the ball and keep going. Harden has been denied space to operate by the Heat when he isn't on the court. In the first two games, Miami swarmed Harden with multiple defenders or threw a zone at him to muck up the Philadelphia offense. In the first game of the series, the average defender was 3.7 feet away from Harden. The closest game he has played in the past three seasons was in Game 2, when it was down to 3.1 feet. The difference was even more pronounced when Embiid returned to the lineup. Miami gave Harden 3.7 feet, but only 2.6 feet when he was off the court. The NBA playoffs run through June, when the league will crown a champion for its 75th season. Experts' picks for the second round.
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Taking space away from Harden deprives you of oxygen. The Golden State Warriors nearly succeeded in building an empire in Houston around the radical, unabashed creation of space for Chris Paul, despite the fact that former coach Mike D'Antoni and general manager Daryl Morey tried to do the same.
When Morey took the job as Philadelphia's president of basketball operations in the fall of 2020, he had a similar vision for the team.
With the all-world co-star, there was no telling what kind of offensive powerhouse they could become.
Harden's age and current abilities have been glaring in his short time in Philadelphia. Whether he has lost a step or three, it is clear that he cannot defy time and space the same way he used to.
Harden used to get by defenders, but the Heat seized on his inability to do so. He changed the script in Game 4.
He began draining 3-pointers to get defenders out of the way. Miami threw double-teams at him and he attacked the zone defenses. There had been very little before.
Harden created 3.6 feet of separation with Embiid on the court Sunday and 5.1 feet with him off the floor, according to Second Spectrum tracking data.
Four of the five shots Harden took with Embiid off the floor were 3-pointers, which is partly why he had so much space. He hit six of the 10 3-pointers he took on the night, after struggling from behind the 3-point line in the first three games.
Some of this is hitting shots and not missing them. For Harden, it is always about space. He can find his rhythm and control a game when he has it. He looks lost and frustrated when he doesn't.
The Harden of old was present on Sunday, even if he is not the Harden of old. The 76ers look like a team that can beat anyone when he reads the floor and regulates the game as he did in Game 4.
He has been adjusting based on what we need from him. Making tough shots. He has been doing that for his entire career.
Harden downplayed his contributions to Sunday's win compared to the struggles he has had throughout the series
Harden shrugged and said nothing really changed.
He said something that put his whole journey with the 76ers into perspective.
Harden said that the team is barely two months in. We are finally getting used to the series. We found some great things that will work tonight.
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