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The 76ers did not regret giving up Harden, and both sides got their own placesIn this offseason, there was a sensational trade in the NBA, and Harden, the star of the Rockets, was sent to the Clippers to form a super big three with George and Leonard. Behind the deal, there is an overlooked detail, which is that the 76ers used to be a potential home for Harden, but ultimately did not reach an agreement with the Rockets due to their unwillingness to give up their core players Embiid and Maxey.
At the time, many people thought that the 76ers missed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, after all, Harden is one of the best scorers in the league, with him, the 76ers' offensive firepower will be greatly improved, and he has worked with 76ers coach Rivers and can quickly integrate into the team's system. However, the 76ers proved to be the right decision, and instead of regretting Harden's departure, both sides reaped better results.
Let's start by focusing on James Harden's brilliant performance with the Los Angeles Clippers. Since he joined the Clippers, James Harden has shown what he has to be a superstar.
Not only is he able to score with ease, but he also has a talent for creating chances for his teammates, making him an indispensable attacking heart for the team. James Harden's performance in the most recent game was eye-catching, especially against the Dallas Mavericks.
He hit six three-pointers in the fourth quarter of the game, four of which were in a row, to complete a comeback performance that led to a 118-115 victory. In this game, Harden contributed 40 points, 8 rebounds and 11 assists in an all-round stat that was already his third performance of the season with 40 points and 10 assists, and the 50th of his career.
It's no exaggeration to say that James Harden is very happy with the Clippers, and the chemistry between George and Kawhi Leonard has made the Clippers' offense more fluid and diverse. Currently, the Clippers sit in first place in the West with a 24-4 record and are undoubtedly one of the strongest teams in the league.
They are expected to compete for a championship this season, and James Harden is undoubtedly their most crucial part. Let's take a look at the 76ers.
Although they didn't get Harden, the 76ers didn't suffer from it, and they have a good record and are currently in third place in the East with a 20-8 record, behind the Nets and Bucks. The success of the 76ers is mainly due to the excellent performance of their two core players, Embiid and Maxey.
Embiid's performance this season can be described as amazing, he is not only the team's interior pillar, but also the leader and soul of the team. He can do everything on the court, whether it is shooting, rebounding, passing, defense, he can do the ultimate, and his statistics are also very amazing, averaging 35 points, 11.7 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2.1 blocks per game, shooting 57.8% from the field and 38.9% from three-point range.
Such stats make him the biggest contender for the MVP award this season, and he has been selected as an All-Star for four consecutive seasons and is expected to be named to the All-Star team for the first time this season. Not to be outdone, Embiid's partner Maxey officially rose to become the team's second-leading scorer after Harden's departure, and his offensive prowess is excellent, he can break through, shoot, make free throws, and also organize offense to create open space for teammates.
His stats have also improved significantly this season, averaging 26.4 points, 6.8 assists, 4 rebounds, 1.7 steals per game while shooting 48.6 percent from the field and 36.4 percent from three-point range. He's been named an All-Star for three consecutive seasons and is on track to make the All-Star team for the first time this season.
The combination of Embiid and Maxey has taken the 76ers to a new level both offensively and defensively, and they are the team's twin stars and the team's hope. In addition to Embiid and Maxey, the 76ers have another player worth mentioning, and that is Harris.
Harris is the team's third main player, and his role should not be underestimated, he is a consistent output for the team and a key man for the team. Harris's stats this season aren't as impressive as Embiid and Maxey, but they're impressive, averaging 16.6 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists per game, and shooting 51.3 percent from the field.
This shooting percentage is among the best among forward players, with an individual offensive efficiency of 18th in the league and a defensive efficiency above the league average, all six of which are higher than last season. In the most recent game against the Raptors, Harris played the best performance of the season, with 33 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and 24 points in the half, helping the team to a comfortable 125-113 victory.
This season, Harris has exceeded the expectations of the fans, his form on the court seems to be a different person, his shooting is more consistent, his defense is more aggressive, his leadership is more prominent, he is an important part of the team, and he is the lucky one of the team. It is worth mentioning that after the end of this season, Harris's contract expires, he will become a full free agent, his fate is uncertain, but it is certain that Harris's next contract will not be too low, because at the age of 31, he can play for at least 5 years, and his form is very stable, and the attendance rate is very high, there is no decline in form at present, and it is completely competent to go to a team to be a three-in-command.
Some media people said that if Harris leaves the 76ers, he will be very sought-after in the free market, he is too suitable for a championship-winning team, and his shooting is too consistent.
The Nuggets bombarded the Warriors on Christmas, shooting a record number of free throws
The Nuggets beat the Warriors 120-114 at home in the NBA game on Christmas with a free-throw advantage, ending a three-game winning streak.
The Nuggets made 32 free throws, 14 of them in the fourth quarter, while the Warriors made just 11 free throws, including two in the fourth. The Nuggets have nearly tripled the number of free throws made by the Warriors and the highest number for the Nuggets this season.
The Nuggets' free-throw advantage came into play at key moments in the game. With more than three minutes left in the fourth quarter, the Warriors trailed by only four points, but the Nuggets continued to foul their opponents and stabilized the situation with free throws.
In the final minute, the Nuggets' Murray and Gordon each hit two free throws to seal the win. The Nuggets made 27 free throws while the Warriors made just eight, shooting 84.4 percent and 72.7 percent, respectively.
According to the statistics of overseas data media StatMamba, in the past three games, the Warriors starters have only made a total of 32 free throws, the same as the Nuggets team yesterday. In the past three games, the Warriors have beaten the Wizards and the Trail Blazers and lost to the Nuggets.
The Warriors starters made 11, 10 and 11 free throws in those three games. The Warriors' sluggish free throw count has something to do with their style of play.
With three-pointers and quick transitions to their primary weapon, the Warriors rarely have the opportunity to hit the interior strongly. The Warriors' core players, Curry and Thompson, are both known for their projection ability, not their ability to break through.
Curry, despite his excellent dribbling and direction changing skills, prefers to solve problems with his shots rather than using his body to impact opponents. Thompson, on the other hand, relied more on running off the ball and catching shots, and rarely had a chance to play alone.
The Warriors' sluggish free-throw count is also related to their opponents. Warriors opponents tend to play defensively and try to avoid fouls and make it harder for the Warriors to shoot instead of giving them free throws.
The Warriors' opponents will also take advantage of the Warriors' defensive weaknesses to strengthen the interior offense and create foul opportunities to get more free throw opportunities. The Warriors need to improve their free throw problemThe Warriors' free throw problem is not only in terms of the number of free throws, but also in the efficiency of the free throws.
The Warriors shot just 74.6 percent from the free-throw line, the fifth-lowest in the league. The Warriors' free-throw efficiency is tied to their free-throw shooters.
The Warriors' main free-throw shooters, in addition to Curry and Thompson, are Green and Iguodala. Green and Iguodala are both important defensive players for the Warriors, but their free-throw shooting ability is not as good as it could be.
Green shot just 69.2 percent from the free-throw line and Andre Iguodala shot 61.5 percent from the free-throw line. The Warriors' free-throw issues could affect their game results.
In some close-locked games, the difference in free throws can be the difference between victory and defeat. The Warriors need to improve their free throw shooting problem, increase their free throw count and free throw efficiency, and thus increase their scoring ability and consistency.
The Warriors need to use their breakaway ability more to create fouls and get more free throws. The Warriors also need to Xi their free-throw shooting skills more and improve their free-throw shooting percentage so that they don't waste free throw opportunities.
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