James Harden Says He's 'A Master of This Game' While Discussing 76ers Role

James Harden just finished the season as the NBA's assist leader (10.7 APG), and his pick-and-roll action with Joel Embiid is one of the most effective forms of offense in the modern NBA.

And Harden isn't surprised in the least.

"I'm a master of this game. This is year 14 for me—I adjust to how teams are guarding us and I pick and choose where to facilitate," he told Franklyn Calle of Slam. "My role on the Sixers is different from 2017. So yes, the approach is different, but I'm still the same player as 2017. My role just changed slightly."

He continued:

"It's a combination of the work I put in each summer, getting healthy and trusting the work when I am on the court. I have been a student of the game and have been coachable throughout my career. This season, I have been tasked to be a leader on the court and to get everyone involved and still maintain my aggression. If I said it was easy, I'd be lying, but I am committed to do whatever I need to do in order to help my team win."  "

Harden's counting stats are impressive—alongside the aforementioned assists, he's put up 21.0 points and 6.1 rebounds per game while shooting 44.1 percent from the field and 38.5 percent from three in 58 total contests.

But his impact runs deeper. The Sixers outscore opponents by 6.1 points per 100 possessions when he's on the court, per NBA.com, a number that drops to just two points per 100 possessions when he sits. Namely, the team's offensive rating goes from 119.4 with him playing to 112.7 without him.

Even better, with Harden and Embiid on the floor the Sixers blitz opponents, outscoring them by nine points per 100 possessions. That includes an absurd 120.7 offensive rating.

With Embiid the front-runner to win the MVP award after averaging an NBA-best 33.1 points per game this season, Harden has leaned even further into being an elite playmaker for his teammates. The result was a 54-28 record, the third-best mark in basketball.

But there's only one milestone the 2018 MVP, three-time scoring champion and two-time assist champion is really interested in accomplishing at this point.

"The one I want hasn't happened yet, so let's revisit when I win a championship," he told Slam when asked which achievement he was most proud of in his career.

Sixers fans are hoping he'll do just that this postseason.