Report: James Harden to miss time due to foot injury
After working diligently in the offseason to silence his critics, Sixers star James Harden stared the 2022-23 campaign in stellar fashion. He showed flashes of his old self, and even tied a career-high in assists earlier this week against the Washington Wizards.
Through nine games, Harden is averaging 22.0 PPG, 7.0 RPG, and 10.0 APG. Unfortunately for the Sixers, they now have to put one of their star players on the shelf for an extended period of time. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski recently reported that the former MVP has suffered a tendon strain in his right foot and is expected to miss the next month.
A tough blow for the Sixers, as they did not come out as strong as they had hoped. Harden’s playmaking has been a key piece in the offense’s success, and now they must find a way to weather the storm for the coming weeks.
Sixers forced to rely on their depth with James Harden out for the foreseeable future
The Sixers worked hard this offseason to improve their depth, and now will need to heavily rely on the supporting cast going forward. Replacing the production of a player like Harden will not be easy, and is going to take more than one player to do so.
One person who will called upon in a big way now is Tyrese Maxey. The young guard took over the point guard duties during the Ben Simmons saga last season, and is likely to do the same now. So far this season, Maxey is averaging 24.2 PPG and 3.4 APG.
With a void in the backcourt now, new addition De’Anthony Melton could make the jump to the starting lineup. He has already started in two games this year, and appears to be finding his footing with his new team. Before missing last night’s game against the Wizards, the 24-year-old had broken double figures in five-straight games.
It is going to be a bumpy road for the Sixers as they prepare for life without Harden, but this roster has the talent in place to remain competitive for the time being.
Mandatory Credit: NBC Sports
