James Harden made his return to the Sixers on Monday following a monthlong absence, but it wasn’t as triumphant as hoped. He finished with 21 points on 4-of-19 shooting, seven assists and seven turnovers in the Sixers’ 132-123 double-overtime loss to the rebuilding Houston Rockets.
Some rust was inevitable for Harden, and this was the final game of a long road trip. Tyrese Maxey and Georges Niang, two of the team’s best three-point shooters, also weren’t active. It’s important not to overreact to one disappointing regular-season game.
With all of that said, Monday’s loss was a microcosm of some concerning trends that have emerged with Harden this season.