In a recently concluded NBA playoff showdown, the 76ers fought at home for four quarters to win 112-97 over the Raptors, rewriting the series score to 2-0! After successfully defending two home games, the two sides will move to Toronto to play two consecutive games at the Home Of the Raptors.
In this game, Embiid exploded a large double-double with 31 points and 11 rebounds, the performance was still unsolvable, And Maxi stepped forward again, cutting 23 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists, 1 steal and 1 block, becoming the third big man in Philadelphia, and also the team's ability to win two games in a row. T Harris was much complained about in the regular season, but after two games in the playoffs, he almost found his peak, 7 of 11 in this game, cut 20 points, 10 rebounds and 1 assist, and 3 blocks, attacking and defending are very eye-catching. Harden's offense, on the other hand, looks a bit "ordinary"!
In this game, Harden, as the second largest of the team, played 41 minutes and 19 seconds in the whole game, and finally scored only 14 points, which is a world of difference from the previous omnipotent super scorer on the offensive end, as if he has not fully recovered his state, or that he is no longer at the peak, and there is a huge decline in offense. And is that really the case?
In the game, Harden shot 3 of 9, 1 of 4 from three-point range, 7 of 8 from the free throw line, contributed 14 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists, as well as 3 steals and 2 blocks. The offensive and defensive performance is very comprehensive, and it can even be said that his performance on the defensive end is top-notch. In the past, Harden was too focused on offense, resulting in his defense has been criticized, but in this game, Harden once again justified his name with practical actions.
In the past, the defense was not good, and he often lost his mind, not that he could not defend, but that his offensive task was too heavy to take into account. Especially in the Rockets period, the offensive and organizational responsibilities of the entire team are on him, and if he is still needed to play the top defense, even if it is a god, I am afraid it is difficult to cover everything. After coming to the 76ers, Harden can finally switch roles and become the giant who focuses on defense and can help the team win.
Harden only made nine shots in the game, and we rarely saw Harden's shots in doubles except after the Nets' final supposedly negative game, especially in this crucial playoff game. However, at the 76ers, they have enough helpers, Embiid, Maxi, and T Harris, all enough to stand alone on the offensive end, so Harden's shots are reduced, the offensive desire is not strong, and more focused on organizing the team to attack.
And this game, Harden's real transformation, lies in his defense. 3 steals, 2 blocks, such data is enough to reflect how focused and hard Harden is on the defensive end. When the pressure on the offensive end is reduced, he can also play the top defense, and with other teammates who can share the pressure on the offensive end, Harden becomes a gate on the defensive end of the team, which is extremely rare in previous games.