BOSTON — Philadelphia 76ers guard and one-time NBA MVP James Harden allegedly traveled to Las Vegas between playoff series, arrived to Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals dressed like Cookie Monster and played far more seriously against the Boston Celtics than either decision foreshadowed.
In the absence of injured Sixers co-star and MVP favorite Joel Embiid, the 33-year-old Harden's uber-efficient 45 points in a 119-115 victory at TD Garden on Monday may have been a turn-back-the-clock moment for the three-time scoring champion had there been many in our memory of his playoff career.