The Philadelphia 76ers have gotten off to a disappointing start, as they’ve won just four of their first nine games.
Now, they’ve received a blow to their championship hopes, as James Harden has strained a tendon in his right foot and will miss a month as a result.
ESPN Sources: Philadelphia 76ers star James Harden has suffered right foot tendon strain and is expected to miss a month. pic.twitter.com/LHEIucfbFj
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 3, 2022
Sixers are another tough challenge for the Knicks. However they’ll be without james harden. An opportunity for the knickerbockers to snap their skid at the Garden tonight.
— Timmy Shaw (@Bone_Shaw) November 4, 2022
James Harden will be a huge miss for the Philadelphia 76ers for the next month or two. He led them to the #4 ranked offense as their point guard in the very small sample size of this seasons games! pic.twitter.com/gIhKadQLpj
— arj (@hooparj) November 4, 2022
James Harden out for a month with a foot injury, Nets/Kyrie a complete dumpster fire, and the Rockets with the worst record in the league. That 2023 draft pick could end up much better than anticipated 🤔 #TakeNote
— Dan Jenson (@dsjenson) November 4, 2022
You gotta feel bad for James Harden, he’s having a great season thus far.
Die-hard fan of DWade but I’m still excited for Harden to compete for a ring, this foot injury is a bummer for real.
— ᴄᴀʀʟᴏѕ (@WadeVibes) November 4, 2022
Harden Isn’t Really To Blame For Philly’s Troubles
After an unusually bad season in terms of efficiency last year, Harden still isn’t back to his old self, as he’s shooting 44.1 percent overall and 33.3 percent from 3-point range so far this year.
But at times, he has looked good, such as when he dropped 35 points on 9-of-14 shooting against the defending Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics on opening night.
The saving grace for Philly may be that it is no longer a two-horse gang on the offensive end.
Guard Tyrese Maxey is developing into a star, and he has put up 24.2 points a game on 51.6 percent overall shooting and 46.8 percent from beyond the arc so far this season.
Meanwhile, after a somewhat slow start, Joel Embiid is starting to look like his MVP-caliber self, averaging 27.2 points on 53.2 percent shooting and 9.5 rebounds per contest.
Indeed, the Sixers’ real problems seem to be on the defensive end.
They rank seventh in offensive rating but just 22nd in defensive rating, despite the addition of veteran forward P.J. Tucker, who is known as a physical defensive presence.
In addition, they’re next-to-last in pace in a league that seems to get faster, smaller and higher-scoring each season.
Even when Harden returns, the Sixers will likely have lots of work to do in an increasingly competitive Eastern Conference if they’re to seriously contend for the NBA championship.
NEXT: The 76ers Aren't Yet Living Up To Their Potential