James Harden credits two of his teammates after a blowout win over the Charlotte Hornets
James Harden was happy with the entire team effort against the Charlotte Hornets
© Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
James Harden acknowledged the significant contribution of his two teammates after the Philadelphia 76ers lit up the Charlotte Hornets in a lopsided game.
The Philadelphia 76ers were able to get back to their winning ways with a blowout, 144-114 win over the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday at Wells Fargo Center. Through the tenacious scoring of Joel Embiid and the playmaking skills of James Harden, the Sixers snapped their three-game skid and improved their record to 47-30.
Reflecting on the team's exceptional performance after the game, Harden, who was more of a facilitator than a scorer against the Hornets, shared the spotlight with Tyrese Maxey and Tobias Harris.
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According to Harden, Maxey and Harris, who combined for 42 points, made his job "a lot easier" as the pair became the team's staple source of energy throughout the game.
"I'm not the fastest guy, so I try to advance the ball as much as I can. Tyrese [Maxey] and Tobias [Harris] allow our playmakers to push the tempo a little more ... because of that, we got the shots that we really wanted. We have to do that more consistently."
"It makes my job a lot easier when [Maxey] and Tobias are aggressive," he admitted.
Harden played for 31 minutes but only racked up 12 points, a figure quite far from his usual numbers. However, he recorded a game-high 13 assists and seems to have no issues letting his teammates step up in scoring.
"We know what Joe's going to go every night," the 10-time All-Star explained. "But when Tyrese and Tobias are aggressive and they're efficient and being aggressive and attacking the rim and knocking down shots, you know I get the rest. I'll take whatever the rest is. Like I said, it's possession by possession, game by game," he continued. "Some games I need to be a little more aggressive. But with all that said, I think when all of us are playing well together and on the same page, we got a very, very good chance to win."
With five more games left in the regular season, Philly still has a fighting chance to improve their spot in the playoffs. As things stand, the Sixers are currently at No. 4 in the Eastern Conference but are just one win behind the third-seeded Boston Celtics.
The team will be looking to pick up where they left off when they face the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday, who also need a win for a better seeding position in the playoffs.
