By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
The Philadelphia 76ers missed a chance to clinch a berth in the 2023 NBA Playoffs, but that was far from the worst part of the double-overtime loss to the Chicago Bulls Monday.
After his side was forced down to 48-23, James Harden was visibly dealing with foot soreness. Skipping postgame availability, he instead tended to the injury with the assistance of the medical staff. Early in the 2022-23 NBA Regular Season, he missed just over one month with a right foot injury.
“He just didn’t play well. I don’t think it’s them, at least not tonight. I thought he was hurting a little bit,” the Sixers‘ head coach Doc Rivers showed the injury over the Bulls on limiting the experienced shooting guard, MVP of the 2017-18 NBA season.
Harden, 33, was on the floor for 47 minutes but was held to 2/14 shots. He had five points, 12 assists, seven rebounds, one block, and one steal in the home loss.
Sitting third in the Eastern Conference standings, the 76ers now trail the Boston Celtics by half a game. Three games behind the leading Milwaukee Bucks and four games ahead of the fourth-placed Cleveland Cavaliers, ending up in the second or third seed is the most likely outcome.
Coming up is a challenging four-game road trip. After visiting the Bulls Wednesday, Golden State Warriors Friday, Phoenix Suns Saturday, and Denver Nuggets Monday, four of the last seven regular-season outings will be in Wells Fargo Center.
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