Philadelphia 76ers vs. Toronto Raptors: 3 big questions and a prediction

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Joel Embiid and James Harden (Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports) /

What James Harden will we see?

The Sixers might be able to get by in this series without an extremely dominant James Harden, as long as Joel Embiid continues to play at an MVP level. However, if Harden isn’t at the height of his powers, this series gets that much more interesting.

So, it’s fair to ask – which Harden are we going to see in this series? And the answer to that question could very well end up determining the outcome of this series.

Harden has had a “down” year for the majority of the season. With the exception of the first couple of weeks in a Sixers uniform, there are major red flags that could suggest Harden will struggle in the playoffs.

During his last five games with the Sixers, he averaged just 16 points on 36 percent shooting from the field and 27 percent shooting from 3-point range. It’s just something to think about as this series approaches.