The Philadelphia 76ers secured a huge win on Thursday night, taking down the Toronto Raptors 132-97 in Game 6.
That win not only pushed the Raptors out of playoff contention but also proved the 76ers could shake off the issues they had.
The entire team seemed to be working as it should, including James Harden.
A friendly reminder that James Harden was +38 tonight
— Lauren Rosen (@LaurenMRosen) April 29, 2022
Harden was +38 on Thursday night, his best showing in the playoffs.
In fact, in terms of plus/minus, it was his best showing with the 76ers since joining the team.
Is Harden back?
Playoff Harden
Whether it’s fair or not, Harden has gained a reputation as someone who doesn’t perform very well in the playoffs.
It seems like he isn’t the most reliable player when it matters the most and is prone to gassing our or – worse yet – getting injured.
This year, his playoff output has once again been uneven.
He was +14 in Game 1, and +17 in Game 2, before going into the negative for the following games.
But he found his footing on Thursday night, scoring 22 points, 6 rebounds, and 15 assists.
That’s a great look for Harden and it suggests that he could become a special weapon for the team moving forward.
The team will need all that Harden can give as they are now set to face off against the Miami Heat in the second round.
If he continues to step up and play as he did on Thursday, the 76ers have a fighting chance.
But if Harden falters as he has in the past, the season may soon come to an end for Harden and his squad.
After a brief rough patch, the 76ers are playing great again.
Will it last throughout the rest of the playoffs?
