Following the trade deadline, the Philadelphia 76ers‘ expectations for this season drastically changed. With James Harden on his way to play alongside MVP frontrunner Joel Embiid, Philly was instantly thrown into the conversation of teams who can make a run at the NBA title.
Instead of running away from the championship or bust expectations, the Sixers embraced them. Winning the title has been their goal all season, and adding Harden got them one step close. Along with expectations rising, so does the pressure to perform when it comes time.
With the postseason finally here, it’s time for the Sixers to back up their talk. Given how things unfolded this year, no player has more to prove in the playoffs than James Harden. ESPN’s Tim Legler recently went on ‘First Take’ to give his thoughts on the pressure Harden will be facing.
“He’s going to feel it in a level of accountability and scrutiny like he has never experienced if he comes up small, particularly in this series. With everything they went through to get to this point, if he does not deliver and get them to at least the next round, he’s never going to deal with anything like he’s ever dealt with.”
James Harden In The Right Frame Of Mind
There is no denying Harden will have a lot of eyes on him during the Sixers’ series with the Raptors. Daryl Morey gave up a lot to acquire him, which creates more pressure for him to step up when the lights get bright.
Despite the loft expectations being thrown at him, Harden is not buying into any of the outside noise.
“Pressure? No, I feel good, I’m ready to hoop, there’s nothing to it. No, it’s good. I’ve actually been doing some sprints and some hamstring work this week so it’s really good for me, to be able to prepare myself for this first round,” said Harden.
In terms of mindset, Harden appears to be in a good place. The outside chatter is always going to be there, and getting caught up in it would just be a waste of time and energy. Instead, Harden is only focusing on getting himself ready for his first postseason push with his new team. Having a whole week to rest up and practice should also do wonders for Harden as he was forced to intergrade himself on the fly since the All-Star break.
James Harden Is Sixers’ Biggest Playoff X-Factor
Come playoff time, the term X-factor is thrown around a lot. Of all the players on the Sixers, there is no bigger X-factor than Harden. How he performs has the potential to make-or-break Philly’s championship aspirations.
The Sixers pushed all in and landed Harden because of his fit next to Embiid. For the first time since Jimmy Butler’s short tenure, the team has a legitimate second option next to its franchise cornerstone. We’ve seen Embiid dominate any matchup put in front of him all year. The question now becomes can Harden elevate his game and aid the All-Star center in leading the charge for the Sixers.
We’ve seen glimpses of how lethal the Sixers can be when Harden is clicking on all cylinders. If he can find the right balance in the playoffs, they will be a very tough team to take down in a seven-game series.
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