Philadelphia 76ers superstar James Harden won’t play vs. the Miami Heat tonight as part of scheduled management of a left hamstring injury, Keith Pompey reports.
Harden was dealing with a hamstring injury prior to the trade between the Sixers and the Nets. As a result, he missed four games before making his debut with the 76ers.
He rehabbed the hamstring issue through the All-Star break. Furthermore, he faced several hamstring injuries the previous season. He’s also had multiple instances in which he was forced to miss time with hamstring tightness this season.
The Sixers acquired Harden, along with Paul Millsap, from the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond and a couple of first-round picks.
He has returned in action after the All-Star break, putting remarkable numbers in his first four games with his new team.
Playing alongside Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, Harden averages 26.8 points, 12.0 assists, 7.5 rebounds, while shooting 59.2 percent from the field and 50.0 percent from deep.
The Sixers are 4-0 with Harden and Embiid playing together. The two brought devastation to the opponents’ defense during that span, pushing the Sixers to 134.1 points per 100 possessions.
The Sixers have a net-rating of plus-33 when Harden and Embiid are taking the floor. With the superstar guard out, Tyrese Maxey will become again the primary ball-handler for his team.
Maxey is averaging 17.0 points in 54 starts this season. Moreover, Matisse Thybulle and Shake Milton will probably see an increase in their minutes.
Embiid will have to carry much of the offensive load against a very capable Heat team in the defensive end. Maxey will also be a huge factor for his team, while Tobias Harris will also be tasked with more scoring duties in Harden’s absence.
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