On his third team in two seasons, nobody thought it would turn out like this for former MVP James Harden.
Nevertheless, despite everything, he seems to have found a permanent home in Philadelphia, where the fans love him, his teammates appreciate him, and he’s no longer shackled to the vaccination status of Kyrie Irving.
After making his home debut on Wednesday, the Beard shared some of his feelings about how his recent move is panning out so far:
(via ESPN)
“Just exciting,” Harden said after finishing with 26 points, nine rebounds and nine assists in Philadelphia’s 123-108 victory over the New York Knicks in front of a raucous sellout crowd Wednesday night. “The love, the fans, it feels like home. Just the love, the support, man, from looking around, hearing, ‘We love you, James.’ That right there makes me go out and play harder, and I just wanted to do whatever it takes to get the win.”
It’s been a blissful beginning for the Harden era in Philly. Besides great chemistry on the court (and a 3-game win streak to match), Harden seems to be thriving as a teammate and leader in the locker room.
“The rhetoric coming out of Brooklyn would lead you to believe James Harden was a bad teammate at the end of his tenure,” wrote Sixers insider Keith Pompey. “But the rhetoric coming from the 76ers is the complete opposite. They’ll tell you that Harden has been a welcome addition and positive influence on his teammates. Early on, he’s been a leader despite being sidelined while rehabilitating a left hamstring strain. At his suggestion, Harden accompanied the Sixers here to Wisconsin for Thursday night’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum, the final matchup before the All-Star break. The point guard’s debut could be on Feb. 25 at the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Sixers’ first game after the break.”
The Sixers are undefeated since Harden’s first game with the team and they look to be poised for a long run in the playoffs.
The Bulls, Heat, Bucks, Nets, and Celtics will not make an easy path, but the new-look 76ers are a force to be reckoned with and it’ll be that way for years to come.
After all the mayhem that unfolded, Philly fans finally have a team to root for again.
