James Harden says Philadelphia 76ers taking confidence on the road to Boston after levelling series 2-2
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
James Harden of the Philadelphia 76ers shooting the game-winning three-point basket during overtime in Game 4 on Sunday.
PHOTO: AFP
Follow topic:
LOS ANGELES – The Philadelphia 76ers hit the road to Boston with “huge confidence” this week, after winning Game 4 116-115 against the Celtics on Sunday to level their Eastern Conference semi-final series, courtesy of another clutch three-pointer from James Harden.
The 10-time National Basketball Association (NBA) All-Star pushed the game into overtime with a floating jump shot and sealed it with 18 seconds left in overtime with a 24-foot jumper off an assist from newly minted Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid.
In a nerve-shredding finale, Boston’s Marcus Smart nailed a potential buzzer-beating basket, but it did not count as he was unable to get the shot off before time expired.
“I put the work in, so it’s all about being aggressive,” said Harden, who produced 42 points – just shy of his career play-off high 45 – with eight rebounds and nine assists.
“Tonight was really do or die.”
The hard-earned victory was a much-needed injection of confidence, Harden said, after a pair of demoralising losses with Embiid battling through a sprained right knee.
“Huge confidence, huge confidence. I felt like last game, we didn’t play well offensively – defensively we played extremely hard but we didn’t get our shots to fall,” said Harden.
“Tonight we did a much better job of spacing the floor, giving guys room to operate.”
He had added motivation with a special invited guest at courtside: John Hao, a Harden super-fan and student at Michigan State who was paralysed in a campus shooting earlier in 2023.
Harden, who spoke to Hao while he was hospitalised and previously pledged to help pay his medical bills, took off his shoes after the game and signed them for Hao.
“He just gave me good luck – he brought me good vibes, good energy,” said Harden, adding he would invite Hao “every game – here on out”.
In the West, two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic’s 53 points and 11 assists were not enough, as Kevin Durant and Devin Booker each scored 36 to lead the Phoenix Suns to a 129-124 victory over the Denver Nuggets to also tie that series at 2-2.
Said Booker: “Every possession, just try to make it hard on him. He can have 50 all he wants as long as we get the win.”
Jokic could be looking at a suspension after he was issued a technical foul for shoving a spectator, none other than Suns owner Mat Ishbia, after the ball went into the crowd in the first half.
The incident occurred with 2min 36sec left in the first half after the Serb blocked Deandre Ayton’s lay-up attempt.
Suns guard Josh Okogie and Nuggets guard Jamal Murray scrambled for the loose ball, with Okogie – and the ball – flying into the first row of the seats, close to where Ishbia was sitting.
Ishbia ended up with the ball, and Jokic came over to try and strip it from him. Jokic was somewhat successful in his attempt but, as he was prising the ball loose, the Suns owner seemed to swat it, prompting Jokic to push Ishbia aside.
“The fan put the hand on me first. I thought the league was supposed to protect us. Maybe I am wrong. I know who he is, but he is a fan,” Jokic said. REUTERS, AFP
