James Harden Hasn't Even Begun To Peak
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Peaked? Peaked, Tim Legler?
James Harden hasn't even begun to peak. And when he does, he's going to peak so hard that everybody in Philadelphia is going to feel it.
You've got people out there who make a living analyzing and commentating on basketball. It's how they feed their family. It's how they keep their house warm. I'm not saying their families should starve or anything like that, but they should at least have to skip a few meals here and there after the James Harden Is Washed parade that was thrown all last week.
31 points. 9 assists. 18 shots. 6/10 from 3. Does that seem like the stat line of a man who has peaked? Does that seem like the stat line of a man who any team would regret trading away a guy who is too afraid to step on the court for? Or does that seem like a bad, bad man who just needed some shots to drop before reminding everybody that this Sixers offense is a wagon?
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And here's where I truly start to feel sorry for the Miami Heat. Had Siakam not attempted to murder Joel Embiid with his elbow, this series would have been over already. They could have packed up and been on their way to a well-deserved vacation this morning. Instead, Siakam takes Embiid out of game 1 and 2. That gives James Harden enough time to heat up and see some shots start to drop. That gives the league just enough time to light a 5-alarm fire under Joel Embiid's ass by giving Jokic the MVP again. That gives Tyrese Maxey and Tobias Harris more time to do this.
The Sixers could have shown the Heat mercy had Embiid not been hurt for those first 2 games. But now it's going to be a bloodbath. Game 5 with a pissed off Embiid. Game 5 with a James Harden that Daryl Morey knew he'd get when he traded for him. Winners always win. That's just the way of the world.