Fade James Harden Against the NBA's Elite Teams

Should bettors steer clear of James Harden down the stretch of the 2021-22 NBA season?

It may not be the worst move when the Philadelphia 76ers face elite competition, as Harden has struggled against the top four teams in the NBA this season.

This is going to have to change if the Sixers want any chance at competing for an NBA title, as they currently sit the No. 3 spot in the Eastern Conference. Harden's struggles against top teams have also hurt the Sixers from a winning standpoint, as the team is just 6-5 against teams that in the top-10 in their respective conference since Harden was acquired.

More importantly, the Sixers have lost to the Brooklyn Nets, Milwaukee Bucks and Miami Heat (the Heat game came without Harden and isn't factored into the 6-5) over the past few weeks. Philly is undoubtedly going to need to get through at least one of these teams to make a deep playoff run, and it can't afford for Harden to be a no-show in those games.

Harden's overall efficiency has taken a hit this season, as he is shooting just 41.6% from the field and 33.7% from beyond the arc. The field goal percentage is the worst since his rookie season, and he's shooting his worst percentage from 3 of his career.

Harden doesn't need to carry the Sixers scoring the ball since they have Joel Embiid, but he also needs to be a reliable No. 2 option at all times in the playoffs. The Sixers play the Detroit Pistons on Thursday, one of the league's lesser teams, but when Harden takes a step up in competition, it may be best to fade him.

Harden has been hovering around 23.5 points at WynnBET Sportsbook in his player props for the past few games. He's cleared that number in 10 of his 15 games with Philly, but he missed it against the Nets and Phoenix Suns by a wide margin, scoring less than 15 points in both games.

The Beard is one of the best scorers in the league when he's at his peak, but until we see that in Philly, Harden is a fade candidate in the postseason.

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