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James Harden kicked off the Eastern Conference semifinals with a bang, but he closed out the second round of the 2023 NBA playoffs with a complete dud.
Harden provided next to nothing for the 76ers in Game 7 of their series with the Celtics. The 2018 MVP only scored nine points on 3-of-11 shooting with five turnovers in Philadelphia's 112-88 loss at TD Garden. It marked the second straight flop from Harden, who only logged 13 points Thursday night when the Sixers had a chance to win the series at home.
The 10-time All-Star deserved heavy criticism for laying an egg with all of the chips on the table, and he certainly received it from Stephen A. Smith after Philly's season came to a close.
"James Harden was so awful, so bad he should actually shave his beard so he can hide his identity," Smith said during ESPN's postgame coverage. "That's how bad he was. I mean, it was really, really bad. I say that in all seriousness. I'm not joking. I worked in Philadelphia for 17 years. It was that bad. I'm telling you right now, it would be difficult for him to walk the streets (of Philadelphia). You don't do what you saw him do on Sunday afternoon in a Game 7."
Similarly lousy in Game 7 for the 76ers was Joel Embiid, who only scored 15 points in Boston. However, the 2023 MVP didn't shoulder as much blame as he probably should have after not rising to the occasion in the biggest game of Philadelphia's season.
Time will tell if that was Harden and Embiid's last game together as teammates.
