Philadelphia 76ers star James Harden took on his former team Brooklyn Nets for the Saturday night playoffs game. Ever since Harden forced his exit from the Nets’ camp in the 2021-22 season, the media has followed him with controversial questions. Amid all the chaos, Harden continued to showcase his prowess in the Sixers jersey. Meanwhile, former Detroit Pistons star Isiah Thomas defended The Beard ahead of the Nets game, pointing out the star’s missing credit.
Former MVP Harden shook the hoops community when he exited the legendary Nets trio that comprised of himself, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. However, after the trade, he established a scoring partnership with his new teammate Joel Embiid at the Sixers camp. Notably, the Pistons legend observed a change in Harden’s gameplay and expressed the lack of credit the former MVP receives.
Isiah Thomas defends former MVP James Harden
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Recently, on Playoffs Central on NBA TV, Isiah Thomas opened up about James Harden’s change in gameplay at the Sixers camp. When the host referred to James Harden as ‘Former MVP’ while discussing Embiid-Harden accolades this season, Thomas interrupted him. He said, “Let’s give some love to Harden, some real love.” He highlighted the star’s changed gameplay as per the team’s demand and requirements. Notably, Harden led the annual scoring points for two consecutive seasons until he moved to the Sixers. Interestingly, Embiid currently tops the leaderboard.
Thomas drew attention to Harden’s selfless game, where he assists more than focusing on scoring. He added, “Putting his ego aside to make the team better, I do think we have to give him credit for that.”
"Putting his ego aside to make the team better, I do think we have to give him credit for that." @IsiahThomas on James Harden pic.twitter.com/BJcaizRQ3e
— NBA TV (@NBATV) April 15, 2023
The Sixers dominated the Nets on Saturday with a comfortable 121-101 victory. Harden and Embiid pitched in 23 and 26 points, respectively.
Harden broke his silence on the Nets’ exit
After this season’s blockbuster trades involving Irving and Durant, Harden finally opened up about his forced exit. He said, “It was a lot of internal things… That’s one of the reasons why I chose to make my decision… Fast forward today, I don’t look like the crazy one or the quitter.”
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JH1 pic.twitter.com/EcPzW8att0
— James Burnes (@JamesBurnes8) February 12, 2023
Despite all the noise, the star aims to take his side to the finals.
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What do you think about Pistons legend Isiah Thomas’ take on James Harden’s missing credit? Share your thoughts in the comments below!