In the first game of the playoffs, the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Raptors 131-111, rewriting the series score to 1:0. In this big win, the emperor Embiid did not perform well, Harden led the young man Maxi to beat off the Raptors at home, setting the tone for the playoffs.
In this game, Harden shot 6 of 17, and the shooting rate is still not high, but Deng ge has 14 assists in the whole game, the first in the team. It was Harden's threading that made the whole team's offense flow. Not only did Harris cut a new playoff high of 26 points and cashed in on his value, but even rookie Maxi benefited a lot. In the whole game, Maxi scored 38 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists, plus or minus as high as +20, the first place in the team, which can be described as a stunning debut.
According to statistics, 6 of Maxi's 21 shots came from Harden's assists. Especially memorable is Harden's long pass through the field, and Maxi easily made a layup.
In a post-game interview, Harden said he had played the playoffs 13 times and he knew what he had to do to help his team win. Maxi quipped, "Dude, you're old." Indeed, Harden has never missed a playoff since entering the league. When Harden first played in the playoffs, Maxi was 8 years old. When Harden talked about converting offense to Maxi's long pass, Harden said: "I'm not fast anymore, he's much faster than me.
Indeed, the years make people old, and the alliance always belongs to the young. Compared with Maxi, Harden can certainly be regarded as a veteran. Since the hamstring injury, Harden's starting speed and breakthrough ability have dropped significantly. Harden's role on the team is shifting, and more often than not, Harden is the commander rather than the tackler. The team's offensive cusp should be left to a younger, more impactful Maxi, and perhaps that's one of the ways the Philadelphia 76ers want to go further in the playoffs.
What do you think? Discussion is welcome