The NBA playoffs are in full swing again, and in today's game (May 3, 2022), to be honest, it's not very good, and there is no tension of winning and losing at the last minute, the Lone Ranger lost to the Suns 114-121, and the 76ers lost to the Heat 92-106.
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76ers against the Heat, the absence of Embiid can inspire the strongest Harden, after all, Harden is the only man in NBA history who has ever cut a 60+ triple-double (60 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists), and has also contributed the only 50+15+15 super triple-double in history, it can be said that Harden is a historical player.
But in today's game, it was really a pull, 5 of 13 in the whole game, including 7 of 7 three-pointers, 4 of 4 free throws, 16 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists, but there were 5 turnovers, plus-minus -8, and there was no superstar feeling at all. As an important scoring point for the team, Harden actually only shot 13 times in this game, which is somewhat incomprehensible. In such an important game to get 16 points, Harden, what is wrong with this, why is it so crossed? I think there should be the following reasons:
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First, the plague of injuries. Harden has actually been on and off this season, the time with the Nets has made him sad, durant and Irving's continuous absences have made Harden very tired, he has certain injuries in his hands and legs, and he has not fully recovered, and his explosiveness is obviously not as good as before.
Second, the Heat's defense is very targeted. In fact, this is also very easy, if I am the head coach of the Heat, I will also deploy heavy troops on Harden's body, embiid is injured, Harden is their arrow figure, plugged Harden, basically this ball can be won, in the face of the Heat's strength of defense, Harden is also very difficult.
Third, Harden didn't fully adapt to the playoffs. It always feels like Harden can kill four parties in the regular season, but once it comes to the playoffs, it changes into a person, the performance is not as good as the regular season, the intensity of the two games is not the same, Harden always feels that it does not completely match the intensity of the playoffs, so it is more difficult to play.
Harden's performance directly determines how far the 76ers can go, from the Nets to the 76ers, his choice does not know whether it is right or wrong, anyway, now that the Nets have been eliminated, if the 76ers can not go further, it is really meaningless for Harden.