Tyrese Maxey hilariously reveals why it is much better to have James Harden playing on his side than to guard him when he was on the Brooklyn Nets.
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Not only did the Philadelphia 76ers manage to get rid of Ben Simmons, but they also added a 3x scoring champion to their roster. The James Harden trade worked out perfectly for the Sixers and his debut performance against Minnesota attests to it.
Seth Curry, Andre Drummond, and an unwilling Ben Simmons are too small a price to pay for an MVP-caliber player. The Beard missed 8 games due to a hamstring injury timed perfectly to force his way out of spiraling Brooklyn Nets. Sixers PG Tyrese Maxey showered Harden with praises after blowing out Timberwolves in their first game after the all-star break.
Tyrese Maxey says James Harden is unguardable
In his first game donning the Philly jersey, James Harden scored 27 points, 12 assists, and 8 rebounds on 58.3% shooting. In addition, he only had 2 turnovers and shot well from the field. This is in sharp contrast with the way he was playing for the Nets.
Tyrese Maxey had an impactful game as well, scoring 28 points on 75% FG. It is extremely likely that he will switch to the shooting guard position.
it’s nice to have @JHarden13 on our side! @TyreseMaxey on Harden being on his team vs. having to guard him. pic.twitter.com/A9NU0dhH8a
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) February 26, 2022
James Harden is particularly skilled at bending the rules in his favor to walk up to the free-throw line. It can be a nightmare to fall for the same thing over and over for defenders. Maxey pointed this out while explaining the advantage of having him on Philly’s side.
“It feels way better. Because I know from experience in Brooklyn when he is doing his two legs and step back on me. You touch him and it’s a foul.”
Ever since the announcement of trade, Maxey has spoken about The Beard’s ability to create shots for himself and other players. It’s a point he reiterated during the post-game presser as well after defeating Timberwolves by 31 points.
“It was great. I mean his ability to pass and create for himself. I appreciate his hard work, communication, and his dedication.”
Although Harden raised eyebrows by forcing his way out of two struggling teams in less than a year, it looks like he has found himself in the perfect situation with the Philadelphia 76ers.