PHILADELPHIA -- After acquiring James Harden at the trade deadline, the Philadelphia 76ers hoped this would finally be the year they break through and make it into the conference finals -- and beyond -- in the NBA playoffs.
Instead, for the fourth time in five years, Philadelphia saw its season come to an end in the second round Thursday night, losing 99-90 to the Miami Heat. Harden was a non-factor in the game, taking just nine shots -- including two in the second half -- and scoring 11 points.
That led Joel Embiid to say the 76ers did not get the version of Harden that won the NBA's Most Valuable Player award, and finished in the top three in voting three other times, in the deal, and that he -- and the rest of the 76ers -- weren't aggressive enough throughout the series.