James Harden's 'Legacy Game' Hyped by Twitter After Clutch Shot for 76ers vs. Celtics
May 7, 2023
Things looked bleak for Philadelphia 76ers fans when the team collapsed in the fourth quarter of Sunday's Game 4 against the Boston Celtics, but James Harden put forth an effort reminiscent of his 2018 MVP campaign.
Harden scored 42 points and hit the go-ahead three-pointer in overtime to give the Sixers a 116-115 victory, tying the series at 2-2 and sending fans home happy from Wells Fargo Center. The 33-year-old added nine assists, eight rebounds and four steals while shooting 16-of-23 from the field.
Philadelphia led by as many as 16 before allowing Boston to claw its way back into the game. The Sixers scored just 15 points in the fourth quarter and faced the possibility of losing on their home floor until Harden tied the game with a floater to force overtime.
In the extra period, the two teams traded leads back and forth as time wound down. Celtics star forward Jayson Tatum drilled a three-pointer with 38 seconds left to take a two-point lead.
Coming out of a timeout, Harden inbounded the ball to 2023 MVP Joel Embiid, who drove the ball to the paint before kicking it back out to Harden in the corner for the go-ahead triple. Celtics point guard Marcus Smart made a three-pointer on the ensuing possession, but he didn't get the shot off before the buzzer sounded.
In addition to Harden's big night, Embiid put up 34 points and 13 rebounds. Tyrese Maxey added 14 points and eight rebound, as no other player on the team scored in double figures. Tatum led Boston with 24 points and 18 rebounds.
Harden was the talk of NBA Twitter after his dazzling performance on Sunday:
In Philadelphia's losses in Games 2 and 3, Harden shot a combined 5-of-28 and looked like a shell of the player who was once arguably the best offensive performer in the league. He rediscovered his form on Sunday, and the Sixers surely hope he can sustain a high level of play to get them to the next round.
Harden and Philadelphia will look to keep the momentum going when they return to action for Game 5 in Boston on Tuesday.