The final time James Harden scored 45 factors in a playoff sport, it was 2015. His Houston Rockets, down three video games to none within the Western Convention finals, have been successful a house sport for pleasure in opposition to the quickly to be champion Golden State Warriors.
On Monday night time, Harden matched that profession playoff excessive in a way more important sport.
With the Philadelphia 76ers’ star and N.B.A. scoring champion, Joel Embiid, out with a knee sprain, Harden scored 45 once more, and gave the Sixers an surprising one-game-to-none lead over the higher-seeded Celtics, 119-115, at TD Backyard in Boston.
Factors 43, 44 and 45 have been the largest, approaching a cold 3-pointer whereas intently guarded by Al Horford to offer the 76ers a 117-115 lead with simply over eight seconds left. On the following play, Marcus Good of the Celtics threw the ball away in visitors beneath the basket, and two free throws wrapped it up for Philadelphia.
“I used to be questioning in the event that they have been going to place two on the ball,” Harden stated of the potential of a double-team on the go-ahead shot. “It was a one on one. So then I’m trying up, I’m simply, all proper, that is what I work on daily. Get one of the best out there shot it doesn’t matter what it’s. Increase up and shoot it.”
Harden made 17 baskets on 30 photographs, each season highs. He made seven 3-pointers on 14 photographs, additionally each season highs. He additionally had a team-high six assists.
From the primary possession, Harden, 33, took it upon himself to get Philadelphia factors, hitting a 10-foot jumper.
“No matter they gave me, I rose up and took a shot,” Harden stated after the sport. “Whether or not it’s a 3, whether or not it’s a floater, whether or not it’s a midrange jumper.”
Requested why there was no double-team on the final shot, Celtics Coach Joe Mazzulla stated: “That was considered one of our greatest defenders. He made a giant shot.”
Paul Reed had 13 rebounds filling in at middle for Embiid. He had a career-high 15 in Recreation 4 of the Sixers’ first-round sweep of the Nets, a sport that Embiid additionally missed.
Going into Monday night time’s sport, the Celtics have been favored not simply within the collection however to win the N.B.A. title. They have been 9.5-point favorites to win Recreation 1 at residence within the absence of Embiid.
Disquietingly for the remainder of the collection, the Celtics truly performed fairly effectively on Monday, hitting 58.7 % of their photographs and outrebounding the 76ers by 10. However they by no means appeared to have the ability to cease Harden.
“We have now alternatives to bounce again,” a terse Mazzulla stated.
After three scoring titles and a Most Priceless Participant Award with the Houston Rockets, Harden had constructed a powerful legacy. But it surely was tarnished considerably with an abortive and injury-plagued two seasons with the Nets. When he was traded to the 76ers in early 2022, many of the focus was on the Sixers lastly eliminating Ben Simmons slightly on their acquisition of Harden.
Harden has slot in effectively as Embiid’s lieutenant in Philadelphia. He led the league in assists per sport this season with 10.7 and averaged 21 factors.
Embiid shot round, however didn’t run on Monday at follow. Coach Doc Rivers stated he didn’t know if Embiid would play in Recreation 2 on Wednesday.
For one sport at the very least, thanks largely to Harden, the Sixers didn’t want him.