76ers' James Harden Felt 'Powerful' in Game 1 vs. Nets

James Harden discussed how he felt physically against the Nets after the 76ers' Game 1 victory.

James Harden anticipated playing at least 40 minutes in the Saturday afternoon matchup against the Brooklyn Nets. As the Philadelphia 76ers tipped off their first-round series at home against Brooklyn, Harden felt refreshed and healthy heading into the matchup after getting the final two regular season games off.

Although Harden was ready for a 40-minute outing, it wasn’t required. With the Sixers gaining a significant lead over the Nets in the second half of the game, Harden managed to check out with just 36 minutes played.

Through the first quarter of action, the ten-time All-Star looked rusty. In his first seven minutes on the floor, Harden knocked down just two of his seven shots from the field, scoring five points. After shaking off some rust, Harden picked up his performance in the second quarter.

Checking in for the entire quarter, Harden hit on 50 percent of his shots from the field. From deep, the veteran guard hit on all but one of his five shots from beyond the arc for 12 points. 

From then on, Harden looked sharp as the Sixers went on a roll to put together a dominant all-around performance.

“I couldn’t make a layup, but that’s the least of my worries,” Harden said after the game. “My legs, my body feels just powerful. Just strong. There was a stint where I played, I think 13 minutes straight. From the end of the first quarter and then the whole second quarter. I felt really good. The work that I put in, and this is the reason for it.”

Before the playoffs, Harden was dealing with Achilles soreness, which forced him to miss a handful of games throughout the final few weeks of the season. Although he he said he felt fine as the regular season concluded, Harden proved that much on Saturday.

As the Sixers cruised past the Nets with a 121-101 victory, Harden finished his afternoon with 23 points, 13 assists, four rebounds, and a steal in 36 minutes of action. 

With Game 1 in the books, Harden and the Sixers now focus on their second outing, which takes place on Monday night at home. 

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.