Philadelphia 76ers: James Harden unlocks the team’s championship potential

James Harden is the key to the Philadelphia 76ers winning an NBA Championship this season. 

The Philadelphia 76ers know who they are. They have a distinct identity and know what they are capable of achieving. The opportunity is there for them and they know they are talented enough to be among the league’s elite.

Those attributes were on full display in the Sixers’ come-from-behind win against the Memphis Grizzlies a few days ago. The Sixers played a mediocre first half falling behind early but were able to regroup as they were able to secure a 110-105 victory. The Sixers’ money guys came through for them big time when they were needed the most especially James Harden as he scored a game-high 31 points to go along with seven rebounds and seven assists.

If the Sixers are going to contend for a title, that version of Harden must emerge more often. It’s a fact that the Sixers are Joel Embiid’s team but in order for them to be successful (especially come playoff time), Harden has to give that same effort game in and game out.

James Harden unlocks the Philadelpiha 76ers’ championship potential

Harden is one heck of a facilitator ever since he embraced that role after leaving Houston but we saw what happened last season in the playoffs when the Sixers were eliminated in the second round. In that six-game series against the Miami Heat, Harden only scored over 20 points twice and the most shot attempts he had in the entire series was 18.

He wasn’t aggressive and he failed to take charge as he should have. The victory against the Grizzlies serves as the perfect example of how Harden has to perform every game. True enough, Harden was brought to Philadelphia to be Embiid’s wingman, but he is able to become a force to be reckoned with if given the green light.

Embiid struggled early against the Grizzlies but Harden was able to offset Embiid’s struggles as he kept attacking and led the charge that sparked the Sixers’ comeback. The key for Harden is knowing when to facilitate and knowing when to attack. If both of these stars can consistently get 25-plus points every game, it’s going to be difficult for opposing defenses because it’s going to open the floor for Tobias Harris and Tyrese Maxey as well.

So with that being said, the Sixers need more of a vintage Harden. They need that step-back shooting, pure shooter who can catch fire at any moment. The Sixers’ offense flows a lot better when he attacks even though he isn’t the main scoring option. Whether in a role as a scorer or facilitator, Harden has to do whatever it takes to win.

Even though he’s nearing the end of his prime Harden can still blow past defenders with his quick first step and he has even decreased the number of turnovers committed from his previous seasons. Plain and simple, Harden must continue to duplicate the kind of performance he had against the Grizzlies. He has to remain consistent and can’t hesitate to take over a game.

Let’s also not forget the fact that he was left off of this year’s all-star team which is the first time he has not been selected in the past 10 seasons which is something Harden could use as motivation.

The Sixers’ next big test will be against the team with the NBA’s best record; their arch-nemesis, the Boston Celtics. Harden is averaging 30.5 points in two games against the Celtics this season and the Sixers will need another huge output from Harden if they plan on being victorious and gaining ground in the Eastern Conference standings.