How Doc Rivers Motivated James Harden’s Game 4 Showing vs. Celtics

Doc Rivers revealed his pregame motivational tactic for James Harden heading into Game 4 against the Celtics.

Coming off of two tough games against the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, Philadelphia 76ers guard James Harden needed to get his rhythm back in order for the Sixers to avoid falling into a 1-3 hole.

As the Game 4 matchup approached on Sunday, Sixers head coach Doc Rivers searched for a method to get his ten-time All-Star back on track.

“I sent him a gospel song before the game,” Rivers revealed after Sunday’s matchup. “The title of it is, ‘Do You Know My Name?’ and James Harden was James Harden tonight."

In Game 1, James Harden had his best playoff performance of his Sixers stint by draining 45 points to lead his undermanned team to an upset victory. 

Over the next two outings, he made just five shots. With criticism coming at him from all angles, Rivers’ tactic reminded the former MVP that he’s capable of still reaching that level.

“For a day and a half, he had to get himself back,” Rivers noted. 

“He sent me a song — I’m on my way to the game, and I get a text from Doc — I’m like, ‘What is going on?’ It’s a gospel song,” Harden said. 

“I just told my homies, ‘Let’s play the song.’ It’s a seven-minute song, but I let the whole song play. I’m like, ‘Alright, there’s gotta be some good juju in this song or however he’s feeling, I wanna feel like that.’ I guess it worked.”

To say Harden came up big for the Sixers would be an understatement. As Philadelphia had its back against the wall in the Game 4 battle at home, the offensive standout did everything he could to not only send the Sixers into overtime as the Celtics shifted the momentum of the matchup, but he once again drained the final bucket that allowed the Sixers to finish out on top.

“They tie the game up, they take the lead, and we continue to fight, and we don’t shut down,” Harden said. “We continue to battle and make shots, that’s what playoff basketball is about. We did that. Of course, we’re not trying to give up a 15-point lead, but it happens. It’s a part of basketball. You see it a lot. It’s next play. Control what you can control, and keep fighting until it’s zero on the clock.”

When zeros went across the clock, the Sixers had collected a 116-115 victory. Harden finished the night with 42 points on 16-23 shooting from the field. He teased a triple-double by dishing out nine assists and coming down with eight rebounds in 47 minutes.

The road ahead is still tough for the Sixers, but Sunday’s victory was much-needed, not only for the team as they tied the series up 2-2 but for Harden’s confidence as he struggled recently. Now, the Sixers have a chance to take a series lead on Tuesday night when they face the Celtics in Boston.