Dazzles in team debut Harden (hamstring) finished with 27 points (7-12 FG, 5-7 3Pt, 8-9 FT), 12 assists and eight rebounds across 35 minutes Friday in the 76ers' 133-102 win over the Timberwolves. Impact Harden received the green light to make his Philadelphia debut after he recovered from the hamstring injury that sidelined him for his final three games with Brooklyn along with the 76ers' final four games prior to the All-Star break following his Feb. 10 acquisition. Despite having not played in nearly three weeks, Harden faced no hard minutes cap in his Philadelphia debut, and for at least one game, he proved to be a seamless fit alongside MVP contender Joel Embiid (34 points, 10 rebounds, three assists in 31 minutes). Harden took on a relatively muted 22.3 percent usage rate during his time on the court, but thanks to his extreme efficiency, he was able to turn in a relatively typical stat line. Harden and Embiid are unlikely to see any major changes to their respective fantasy values moving forward, but supporting players like Tyrese Maxey and Tobias Harris could see their numbers trend downward. Harris was limited to six points and a 13.2 percent usage rate Friday, while Maxey poured in 28 points on 24.3 percent usage, though it took an unsustainable 12-for-16 shooting performance from the field to get there.
FEBRUARY 26, 2022 • ROTOWIRE