James Harden was traded from the Philadelphia 76ers to the Los Angeles Clippers in late October 2023. This reportedly happened during a disappointing season for Harden with the Philadelphia, during which he requested a trade. Recently, Sai, a fan of Harden, explained the difficulties Harden faced compared to other players in the playoffs. In a recent post on X (formerly known as Twitter), he mentioned that Harden has faced championship-winning players in half of his playoff appearances. At the same time, he has played against finals-bound teams in 67% of his playoff appearances.
“James Harden has faced the eventual champs in 50% of his playoff appearances. James Harden has played against finals-bound teams in 67% of his playoff appearances. James Harden is commonly labeled as a “playoff choker,” but people overlook the fact that he has consistently faced tougher competition than 99% of other superstars throughout their careers. He peaked at the worst time and era possible which has prevented him from winning a championship.” Sai wrote.
James Harden had a tough time with the 76ers
Harden played for the Oklahoma City Thunder from 2009 to 2012. He then joined the Houston Rockets in 2012 and played until 2021. He was the runner-up in MVP voting during his time there and also won the MVP title during his 2017-18 season. During this time, Harden led the Rockets to multiple playoff appearances. However, due to disagreements with the coaching staff, Harden later sought more offense control.
After leaving the Rockets, Harden played for the Brooklyn Nets during the 2021-22 season, where he had the opportunity to contend for the title alongside Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. However, their efforts were hindered by off-court issues and injuries. Harden publicly acknowledged that his time with the Nets had many difficult phases. Subsequently, Harden struggled with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Recently, Harden rose to the top ten in the standings for assists during the postseason. With his 13 assists during the playoffs, Harden overtook Bulls great Scottie Pippen, increasing his career total to 1049.
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