The Oklahoma City Thunder are looking to make a playoff push, while the Philadelphia 76ers have been on fire. In their game last night, the Sixers were leading by 11 points with 3 minutes left in regulation when James Harden was lost for two games due to injury and didn’t return until overtime, where he scored 42 points. The next day one of his teammates took issue with him being called out as a “liability”.
The “who does james harden play for” is a question that has been asked by many NBA fans. The answer to the question is the Oklahoma City Thunder, where James Harden plays for them. However, this season, Kendrick Perkins has bashed James Harden for being a “liability” to Joel Embiid.
So far, James Harden’s time with the Philadelphia 76ers has been a mixed bag of outcomes. Initially, the Sixers were destroying opponents with ease, due to Harden and Embiid’s seemingly unbeatable two-man game. However, the offensive hasn’t been as consistent as it was a month ago.
Harden still has time to show he was worth the trade price Philadelphia paid for him, but former NBA star Kendrick Perkins believes he’s become a “burden” on the floor with Embiid.
James Harden’s time with the 76ers has been up and down.
During the game against the Detroit Pistons, James Harden of the Philadelphia 76ers looks on | Nic Antaya/Getty Images
When Harden initially joined the 76ers, everything seemed to be going swimmingly. Over his first four games, he averaged over 27 points and 12 assists each game, and Philadelphia cruised to four easy wins, scoring at least 123 points in each.
The pairing with Embiid seemed to be a match made in heaven, as the two pick-and-roll teams to death and made it tough for them to focus on a single player. In recent weeks, though, the Sixers haven’t looked as unstoppable.
In a humbling defeat to the tanking Detroit Pistons, Philadelphia averaged only 104.7 points per game during their most recent three-game losing streak. Harden relied on solitary offense and foul-baiting for most of the second half. It was an ominous indicator of how the 76ers would fare in the playoffs.
Harden is called a “liability” by Kendrick Perkins.
Since joining the 76ers at the NBA trade deadline, Harden has showed both good and bad traits, but Perkins, a former NBA player and current ESPN commentator, says the future Hall of Famer doesn’t belong with Embiid — or anybody else for that matter.
According to the New York Post, Perkins stated earlier this week, “He’s been more of a liability than what they anticipated he was going to be.” “He’s meant to relieve Joel Embiid’s pressure, but when you look at James Harden and all the people he’s had, all the superstars he’s played with, he’s had more features than DJ Khaled when he had Rick Ross, Jay-Z, Migos, Drake, and everyone across the board.”
“If you look at who James Harden has played with, it didn’t work out with Dwight Howard, Chris Paul, or Russell Westbrook.” You went to the Brooklyn Nets, but KD [Kevin Durant] and Kyrie [Irving] didn’t work out. You’re now with Embiid.”
Perkins seems to feel that Harden isn’t a championship-level player regardless of who he’s teamed with. However, Perkins believes that if Harden can learn to defer to Embiid, the Sixers would have a better chance of winning a championship.
“At some point, you have to be able to keep your half of the deal and not rely on the other person with whom you’re partnered.” Don’t put any unnecessary strain on Embiid. Make yourself an advantage to him rather than a burden. That’s what James Harden is right now since joining the Philadelphia 76ers.”
Harden still has four games remaining on the schedule to show he was worth the price, and the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference is still within sight.
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