That is the net model of our day by day e-newsletter, The Morning Win. Subscribe to get irreverent and incisive sports activities tales, delivered to your mailbox each morning. Charles Curtis is filling in for Andy Nesbitt.
I don’t suppose I’m exaggerating after I say that James Harden holds all of the keys to the postseason for the 76ers.
Sure, Philly, you’ve gotten attainable MVP Joel Embiid as your famous person, breakout stud Tyrese Maxey, a sharpshooter in Tobias Harris and key defender Matthias Thybulle.
However the Harden commerce unlocked a lot for the Sixers, giving Doc Rivers so many choices — you may pick-and-roll with Embiid, you may let Harden cook dinner solo like he has for thus a few years, you may open issues up for Maxey and relaxation Embiid with out worrying an excessive amount of about Philadelphia’s bench.
However that every one falls aside when Harden struggles. And as our Robert Zeglinski wrote about Harden’s 3-of-17 evening with simply 11 factors, 5 assists and 6 boards, that can’t occur within the postseason.
Clearly, this Sixers workforce isn’t the Houston Rockets of late final decade. However bear in mind 0-of-11 from distance in Recreation 5 of the 2018 Western finals towards the Warriors? Or 2-of-13 from three in Recreation 7 of that collection? There have been struggles towards the Lakers at sure factors within the bubble again in 2020. Clearly, he wasn’t wholesome in final season’s playoffs, so I’m undecided I can rely that.
The purpose is: If this what we see from Harden in a few months, it might be a catastrophe for a workforce that would contend.
Fast hits: BASEBALL IS BACK! … The Khalil Mack commerce shook issues up … Patrick Reed, flipping the fowl … and extra.
— Baseball is again with the MLB lockout over, so listed below are the modifications coming with the gamers and homeowners agreeing. Listed here are some up to date World Collection odds. And followers are excited concerning the extra-innings runner rule going away.
— The Khalil Mack commerce to the Chargers simply made a troublesome AFC West even harder.
— Cameras caught Patrick Reed flipping off and swearing at his golf ball on the Gamers.
— Steph Curry shocked a devastated fan who didn’t get to see him play.
