James Harden of the Philadelphia 76ers (Getty Images via AFP)
WASHINGTON – Three-time NBA scoring champion James Harden is expected to miss the next month of the season with a tendon strain in his right foot, according to multiple reports on Thursday.
ESPN and the Philadelphia Inquirer reported the injury to the 33-year-old guard, the 2018 NBA Most Valuable Player.
Harden is averaging 22.0 points, 10.0 assists and 7.0 rebounds a game for the 76ers this season — and he is the only player in the young NBA campaign with over 20 points and 10 rebounds per contest.
Harden suffered the injury in Philadelphia’s 121-111 home loss to Washington on Wednesday.
The 76ers are off to a 4-5 start to the season and were without star big man Joel Embiid for three of their past four games, who sat out most recently with a non-Covid-19 illness.
Embiid, who is averaging 27.2 points and 9.5 rebounds, will be forced to take command of the Sixers with Harden absent. The injury will also push guard Tyrese Maxey, who is averaging a career-high 24.2 points a game and leads the league in total minutes played.