When the Philadelphia 76ers traded for James Harden last season, the team quickly saw a notable boost in the playmaking department. Although Harden’s scoring was down and teased signs of regression compared to previous years, the ten-time All-Star still brought a ton of value to the table.
With a full offseason to get healthy and acclimated with his Sixers teammates, Harden got off to a decent start to the 2022-2023 NBA season. Not only was his playmaking still stellar, but Harden’s scoring was much better as times as he took over games when necessary.
Through nine games, Harden was a bright spot on a struggling Sixers team. Unfortunately, an injury that he suffered in Wednesday’s game against the Washington Wizards will keep him off the floor for the time being.
If you ask around the Sixers’ locker room, you’ll find out quickly that replacing James Harden is an impossible task. That’s not to say the team will crumble in his absence, but there isn’t one player who can match the talented playmaker’s ability to run the offense night in and night out.
“We’re just going to try and go out there as a collective group and make up for what he does,” Tyrese Maxey explained. “Not one person can be James Harden. I’m not James Harden, Shake’s not James Harden, and Furk’s not James. We’re just gonna go out there and collectively try to make up for what he brought to the table and try to win games.”
The veteran center Montrezl Harrell echoed a similar sentiment.
“To be honest with you, I don’t think there is really anything you can do to make up for what he does,” Harrell claimed. “I mean, he’s an All-Star caliber player. He’s been in this league for a number amount of years, and he built his name on who he is. You know, at the end of the day, we’re just gonna have to keep working and keep doing it together as a team.”
The message of the Sixers being a “we” team, not a “me” team, has been consistently relayed throughout the offseason and the start of the year. Now, they need to practice what they preach more than ever, as Harden will be off the floor for two weeks and potentially beyond.
On Friday night, the Sixers got their first taste of life without Harden for the time being. Going into the game, Tyrese Maxey knew his role would increase, and he would take on ball-handling duty more often. Based on the first sample of a Harden-less backcourt against the New York Knicks, Maxey understands what needs to be worked on moving forward.
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“Early, I kind of figured out how they were guarding,” he said. “Once the fourth quarter came, they started switching. When they were switching, they were taking us out of what we wanted to run. When they take us out of what we want to run, I got to find ways to still get guys good shots and give myself good shots and find ways to attack the paint and spray out on different occasions as well.”
Maxey led the Sixers in scoring on Friday night with a game-high of 31 points in 39 minutes. Between Maxey and the other starting guard De’Anthony Melton, the starting backcourt produced a combined 16 assists. To compare, Harden has produced 15-plus assist games on his own on 25 occasions. Nine of those performances came within the last two seasons when Harden was a member of the Brooklyn Nets. Three of those performances came as a member of the Sixers.
Harden wouldn’t rack up 15 assists on an everyday basis when healthy, but he was good for close to at least ten per game. The fact that Melton and Maxey needed a collective effort to match similar playmaking production as Harden just goes to show how hard it is to replace him in that department.
Maxey and Melton aren’t the only ones feeling the pressure with Harden out. Sixers veteran forward Tobias Harris is another offensive weapon who moves up in the pecking order as a reliable scorer and playmaker comes off the floor.
“Losing a key player for however long, there’s going to be more distribution for anybody who’s out there,” Tobias Harris said. “For me, if the opportunity is presented for more play calls or actions with the basketball in my hands, then I’m going to embrace the challenge and be ready for it. I think you saw some of that tonight, and that’s the way it’s going to be going forward. I’m excited for that, and I’ve been ready for it.”
Harris played an all-around solid game on Friday night. In 37 minutes of action, the starting forward shot 9-15 from the field and 3-7 from deep to collect a season-high of 23 points. He nearly notched a double-double as he collected seven defensive rebounds and two boards on the offensive end. Harris also produced four assists, doubling his season average on the night.
The Sixers nearly pulled off a shorthanded victory against the Knicks without Harden and Embiid available to them. While losing is never the result a team wants, the 76ers understand that they were already a work in progress before the Harden setback. Now, they have to figure out how to advance without him for the time being.
“At the end of the day, we’re just gonna have to keep working and keep doing it together as a team,” Montrezl Harrell finished. “I think we did a hell of a job tonight.”
Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.
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November 06, 2022 at 02:10AM
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How Can 76ers Make Up for Irreplaceable James Harden? - Sports Illustrated
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