James Harden was one of the best scorers in the entire NBA just a few seasons ago. Overall, he was a tour de force with the Houston Rockets. However, since joining the Nets and then the Sixers, he has taken more of a facilitator role. Regardless, he is still an incredibly effective player who is helping the 76ers achieve their goals. As it stands, he averages 21.4 points per game and averages another 11 assists, which leads the entire NBA. Needless to say, one would assume that he would be a lock for another All-Star game.
Harden has made the All-Star game in 10-straight seasons. Although, that streak is officially coming to an end as the All-Star reserves were announced on Thursday night. In the Eastern Conference, the reserves are Joel Embiid, Jaylen Brown, Bam Adebayo, Julius Randle, DeMar DeRozan, Jrue Holiday, and Tyrese Haliburton. Fans immediately noticed that Harden wasn't present. Subsequently, this led to a ton of discourse on Twitter, with many fans showcasing their discontent.
James Harden Is Not Happy
Additionally, Harden's fans weren't the only ones who were upset. Harden himself wasn't too impressed with the snub. In the tweet above, you can see an Instagram story from Harden in which he states "The disrespect." Of course, he wasn't addressing this towards anyone in particular. However, it is extremely clear that he was talking about this bizarre All-Star snub. Were it not for Harden, Joel Embiid would have to carry the Sixers by himself, which is no easy task. Instead, Harden has helped turn this team into a dark horse playoff contender. Should the Celtics and Bucks slip up, the Sixers are right there to snatch the East crown.
Beyond the All-Star game, Harden and the Sixers have much bigger fish to fry. Overall, this team has not gotten past the second round in quite some time. That said, pundits are placing big expectations on this team. Harden has plenty of playoff demons to expel, and if he can lead this team to an NBA Finals, then perhaps voters will have no choice but to make him an All-Star again, in 2024. Let us know what you think of this snub, in the comments below.
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