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Philadelphia 76ers star James Harden finally gave NBA fans a highlight reel play to enjoy. Harden shot a 3-pointer after making Indiana Pacers rookie Bennedict Mathurin fall to the ground, sending fans on Twitter in a frenzy.
James Harden has earned a bit of a reputation for creating highlight-reel plays. Pairing his accurate shooting from beyond the arc with clever handles, Harden frequently embarrasses defenders.
One of his highlight reel-worthy plays happens to be a step-back dribble into a jumper on the wing which forces defenders to fall to the ground.
In the context of the season, Harden attempted to do the same on opening night against the Boston Celtics. Unfortunately, he failed to complete the play as he missed the entirety of the rim.
The 76ers guard was mocked for this display on Twitter. However, James Harden finally came through against the Indiana Pacers on Monday.
Matching up against Pacers rookie Bennedict Mathurin, Harden gave the youngster his "welcome to the league" moment by dropping him and hitting a 3-pointer in his face.
Picking up Harden as a defensive assignment isn't a task for the faint-hearted. Although Mathurin managed to stay in front of Harden, the 76ers guard gave the youngster the work on this play.
While the crowd at Wells Fargo Center erupted after the incident, fans on Twitter also produced some great reactions. Here are some:
A large portion of fan reactions have suggested that the play should have been an offensive foul. However, watching Harden embarrass defenders is worth it.
With James Harden appearing to be in top form, the Philadelphia 76ers are sure to be an interesting team. Having won their first game of the season, the team will hope to build upon this momentum going forward.
James Harden goes off against the Indiana Pacers
James Harden's work in the offseason is finally paying off. Appearing to be back in condition, Harden appears to be an MVP-caliber player and this was put on full display against the Indiana Pacers.
Harden has had more impressive performances in the team's four games this season. However, their first win is by far their most valuable win so far.
The Philadelphia 76ers built off of James Harden's outstanding night and rallied around him to improve to 1-3 on the season.
Harden recorded a near triple-double of 29 points, nine rebounds and 11 assists. Notching a high scoring night on efficient shooting splits, Harden was the prime factor in leading Philly to their first win.
Paired with Harden, the 76ers also saw an impressive outing by superstar big man Joel Embiid. Embiid notched 26 points and five rebounds on an efficient 8-13 shooting night.
After a miserable start to the season, the 76ers have finally broken through with a win. Considering the expectations placed upon the team, Philadelphia has a lot of ground to cover to make up for their losses.
If the team can build upon the momentum of this win, they are bound to make noise in the playoffs. With the duo of Harden and Embiid also playing off of each other, Philly could be a threat moving forward.
