“Let’s not get it twisted, the man changed the game of basketball” - Kendrick Perkins believes former MVP still belongs on the NBA 75 despite his struggles in the postseason, says he’s a top 50 player

The NBA 75th Anniversary Team caused a lot of debate. Kendrick Perkins believes James Harden deserves to be on that list despite his struggles in the postseason.

Another loss for the Philadelphia 76ers against the Miami Heat would have seen them go down 3-0 in the series. Fortunately, Danny Green had an exceptional night, knocking down seven three-pointers in nine attempts to lead the Sixers to a 99-79 victory in Game 3.

Harden has not done much to help the team win, and fans are starting to worry about his impact. He was brought in specifically to help the team contend for the title, but the bulk of the heavy lifting is still in the hands of Joel Embiid.

Regardless of his suspected decline, Perkins has maintained that his resume should not be questioned. On an episode of ESPN's "First Take," he strongly believes that Harden deserves a spot on the NBA 75 team, stating:

"Here's the thing about James Harden. Let's not get it twisted. The man changed the game of basketball. Anytime you have to put in rules because of a certain player, and the way that he changed officiating, the way that he was able to get to the free-throw line."

"James Harden is a top 75 player. Hell, he might even be a top 50 player. The thing that James Harden has under his belt that we cannot take for granted when we are making the top 75 list is the MVP trophy."

Harden is a three-time scoring champ and that level of production is what is needed from him, especially in the playoffs. So far in this series, he's averaging only 17.7 points, finishing last night's game with 17 points on 4-of-11 shooting.

Kendrick Perkins has been critical of James Harden in the past, questions his willingness to sacrifice

James Harden No. 1 of the Philadelphia 76ers.

The Sixers pulled off a deal with the Brooklyn Nets to acquire Harden, who was growing frustrated with the Nets. While he is due for a max extension of about $230 million over the next four years, Perkins does not think Harden is willing to sacrifice for the team.

Harden has a player option for the 2022-23 season, which he is reportedly willing to opt-in to. However, doing that will put him in a position where he could earn the most money. Perkins thinks he might need to leave some of that money on the table if he wants to win, stating:

"Is it all about your money? Or do you want to actually win? You have Joel Embiid, you have a rising young star in Tyrese Maxey.

"Do you want to leave some of that money on the table so that the Philadelphia 76ers can make sure that they do their part and continue to put pieces around you so that you can actually compete and go try to win the championship?

"See, there’s a different type of players in this world, right? You look at it. They have different type of franchise guys, I’ve been around them all. Some guys, it’s all about themselves. All about getting their money and getting up out the league and retiring in the sunset."

There is still some time for Harden to turn things around and help the Sixers compete. Doing so will help the team win a championship (his first) and also increase his value for the offseason.

Media personality Colin Cowherd thinks the Sixers should move on from him in the summer.