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James Harden and the Philadelphia 76ers have been the talk of the town in the wake of their elimination at the hands of the Miami Heat in the 2022 NBA Playoffs.
Harden and All-Star Joel Embiid have had to shoulder the majority of the blame once again following abysmal performances from the pair in what was a must-win game in order to keep their season alive.
Appearing on the latest episode of "First Things First," producer Kevin Wildes shared his opinion about Harden.
Wildes said:
"I reject the idea that James Harden is washed. You're looking at a guy who's washed. And when you're washed, you try harder."
Harden, who was the man of the moment back in February, in light of the trade that saw him depart the Brooklyn Nets and join the Philadelphia 76ers, is once again witnessing his legacy being tarnished thanks to his performances in the postseason.
The 10-time All-Star has been the center of controversy with regards to his fitness for the past couple of seasons now, which has been acknowledged by many members of the media as of late.
James Harden has a history of phenomenal displays during the regular season, which unfortunately, the former MVP has been unable to transcend into the postseason since his tenure began with the Houston Rockets in 2013.
Wildes said:
"James Harden has a chronic accountability problem. He just pouted on his third consecutive team."
James Harden and his troubled playoff history
Game 6 of the 2022 Eastern Conference semifinals between the Miami Heat and the Philadelphia 76ers is not the first time Harden has come under scrutiny regarding his postseason showings.
The 76ers guard had a poor showing in the 2021 playoffs as well, with former team, the Brooklyn Nets. Harden averaged 20.2 points as the second option for the Nets, providing practically no help for Kevin Durant. However, he was playing through a hamstring injury.
In the 2020 postseason, James Harden scored two field goals out of 11 attempts in Game 4 against the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference semifinals, in what was a game that would have leveled the series against the Lakers.
In the 2022 playoffs, Harden averaged a mere 18.6 points, on 40.5% from the field. A momentous fall from grace for one of the game's greatest scorers.
The future of the Philadlephia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers were eliminated from the playoffs after a Game 6 loss at the Wells Fargo Center.
The future, however, does not look bleak in the city of Philadelphia. With the right moves this off-season, the franchise can once again compete for a championship.
With the development and promotion of Tyrese Maxey as the second option, the 76ers might finally have a chance to once again smell the long-gone scent of the finals. Harden can run the point and focus on playmaking duties.
Guess the Lakers players!
