On May 5, Beijing time, the NBA playoffs continued. In the 76ers and Heat G2 showdown, the Heat again easily defeated the 76ers 119-103 and are currently leading 2-0. This time, Rivers finally didn't have to worry about being reversed.
Harden's performance in this game was relatively sluggish, shooting 6 of 15 in the whole game, including 1 of 5 three-pointers, and took 20 points, 4 rebounds and 9 assists. With Embiid sidelined due to injury, Harden's performance was clearly not enough to lead the team to victory.
76ers youngster Maxi did a great job in this game, scoring 34 points on 12-of-22 shooting in the game! Maxi is arguably the 76ers' biggest gain of the season. Maxi is only earning $2.6 million a year this season, but he's acting like a top-paid player. More importantly, After The End of the Season, Maxi has 2 years left on a contract with the 76ers, and both are team options. That is to say, these years are the best time for Harden to win the championship, because they can still eat The Rookie Dividend of Maxi. Na maxi's current contract is $12.15 million for 4 years, expiring at the end of the 2023-2024 season.
In an interview after the game, Harden talked about why Maxi performed so well. Harden said: "He played aggressively, the opponents limited me, they focused on me. Maxi saw the opportunity, he was fast, he could attack the basket. He plays the right way, he does a great job and we need him to continue to have that performance. ”
Harden's words are actually very reasonable, and Maxi has indeed made very obvious progress after Harden's arrival. But Maxi's highlights alone weren't enough to lead the 76ers to win. Harden needs to find his own scoring explosive power while connecting his teammates. Harden has played so many games since joining the 76ers that he has not yet made 20 shots.