James Harden: an asset or a liability?

I'm not feeling very optimistic about the Sixers' chances in game three, especially since they're playing away at the Nets. As a Philly native, I know better than to get my hopes up.

One reason for my pessimism has to do with James Harden. Ever since he was traded to the Nets, most pundits have said that the Sixers' success in the playoffs will depend on how well Joel Embiid and Harden perform. I agree with this assessment, which is why I was frustrated during game one when Harden kept driving to the hoop despite being constantly blocked or missing his shots, resulting in turnovers for the team.

In contrast, when the ball was passed to him and he had a chance to catch and shoot, he almost always made a three-pointer. This has been a pattern for a while now. Teams have figured out how to defend against his drives, but he seems to be compulsively trying them anyway, even when it hurts the team.

After game two, I read an article by Gina Mizell in the Inquirer that included a quote from Harden:

"Didn't score the ball well tonight, but trying to find other ways to impact the game," Harden said. "Honestly, that's what the playoffs are about. Obviously, you want to make every shot and score every time. But when you're a good enough player and you can impact the game in multiple ways and your team still wins, that's all that matters."

As a sports psychiatrist, I wonder if Harden might have a form of OCD that compels him to drive to the hoop even when he knows intellectually that it's not the best play. If that's the case, the Sixers' sports psychiatrist should meet with him to discuss strategies for dealing with this impulse. One technique could be for Harden to mentally picture a big red stop sign and yell "stop" to himself when he feels the urge to drive. Then he could take a few steps as if he was going to drive to draw the defense in, and then pass to an open teammate, which he is more than capable of doing.

Harden is a great player, but he needs to be mindful of his tendencies and work on strategies to overcome them so that he doesn't become a liability for the Sixers.