“Thanks in part to point guard James Harden” - Skip Bayless reckons Joel Embiid will win MVP due to Harden sacrificing his scoring
Skip Bayless believes James Harden deserves credit for Joel Embid potentially winning the 2023 NBA MVP award. Harden joined the Philadelphia 76ers at the 2022 trade deadline. Since then, he has completely transitioned into a point guard.
Harden has led the league in assists per game this season at 10.7. He was second last year at 10.3 apg. "The Beard" has sacrificed his scoring ability to ensure Embiid can continue thriving in his role.
Bayless believes Harden turning into a point guard has contributed to Embiid potentially winning MVP. Here's what the TV analyst said on Fox Sports debate show, "Skip and Shannon: Undisputed":
"Maybe he [Harden] just sacrifices his scoring for Joel Embiid. If you go back to Brooklyn, for KD and Kyrie... I do believe Joel is going to win the MVP and obviously he's played at an extremely high level and thanks in part to point guard James Harden."
James Harden scores 45 points in the 76ers Game 1 win vs. Celtics:
"This is a wizard, a savant, a basketball genius who sacrificed himself for the good of the cause in Brooklyn and then Philly." — @RealSkipBayless https://t.co/zisKGUrQmm
Embiid averaged a league-leading 33.1 points per game to win his second scoring title this season. He hasn't had to make many adjustments to his game playing alongside a ball-dominant and efficient scorer like Harden.
The former Houston Rockets star deserves more credit for the same, as he accepted the role of a pass-first guy with the Sixers.
James Harden proved he made sacrifices for Joel Embiid after going off for 45 in Game 1 win over Celtics
James Harden posted a playoff career-high 45 points during the Philadelphia 76ers' 119-115 Eastern Conference semis Game 1 win over the Boston Celtics. The 76ers were shorthanded, with Joel Embiid sidelined due to a knee injury.
Nobody gave the Sixers a chance to win the contest with Embiid on the sidelines. However, Harden carried the team on his back and turned the clock back to his Houston days. The former MVP showed that he can still score big if needed. Harden also took a jab at critics, who believed he didn't possess the scoring ability anymore, after the game. Here's what he said:
"Throughout the entire year, people expect me to be the scoring James Harden and the James Harden that goes out there and gets 40, 50 points. And then people talk: 'Oh, you can't win like that. And then I'll go out there and get 20 points and 11 assists. And it's like, 'Well, he's not the old James Harden no more.'"
Harden hasn't had the same shot attempts as he did previously with the Rockets since moving to Brooklyn and later Philadelphia. However, that changed with Embiid sidelined for this contest.
Harden did an excellent job of capitalizing on that chance. He had 30 field goal attempts during the game. He connected on 56.7% of his shots, including 7-of-14 from deep.