HOUSTON - Gerald Henderson, Robert Covington and T.J. McConnell will have the task of trying to slow down the Rockets’ James Harden on Monday night.
Good luck.
Harden is coming off consecutive triple-doubles and is averaging 30.0 points and 13.0 assists this season. His streak of six consecutive games of at least 24 points and 12 assists is the longest in NBA history.
“He needs to see different people, you need to have different looks,” Sixers coach Brett Brown said. “Their offense is clearly generated through him. His ability to play downhill and move the ball.”
Brown feels the 6-2 McConnell could post a defensive problem on the 6-5 Harden because of McConnell’s leverage.
“Guards can get under people and maybe T.J. can get under James Harden,” Brown said. “So I think those three players will assume the major defensive responsibility on James Harden tonight.”
At a summer league basketball classic at La Salle this summer, in what Brown called classic Philly street ball in a gym, Brown saw Harden up close and was struck by Harden’s physical size.
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“You’re talking to him and you realize what a big man he is,” Brown said. “And now he is the point guard [of the Rockets]. And he’s always been incredible playing downhill. He’s a runaway train.”