76ers Guard James Harden Scores 42 Points, Makes Game-Winning Shot In Front Of Michigan State Shooting Victim

Soon after a mass shooting occurred at Michigan State in February, Philadelphia 76ers guard James Harden found out that one of the victims, John Hao, idolized Harden. Hao, who is 20, survived the shooting, but he was left paralyzed from the chest down.

Harden reached out to Hao via FaceTime, donated to his GoFundMe account, invited him to a 76ers game and kept up the relationship. When Hao was released from a rehabilitation center last week and cleared to travel, he took Harden up on his offer. On Sunday, Hao was courtside for Game 4 of the 76ers-Boston Celtics Eastern Conference semifinals series. Things couldn’t have turned out better.

Harden scored a game-high 42 points, including the game-winning 3-pointer with 18.2 seconds left in overtime, as the 76ers won, 116-115, to even the series at two games apiece. Afterward, Harden took off his sneakers, signed them and handed them to Hao on the court.

“He’s my good luck charm,” said Harden, who had nine assists, eight rebounds, four steals and just one turnover in 47 minutes. “For a tragedy like that to happen, there’s a lot of nonsense that’s going on in the world. For him to be a victim of that, it’s heartbreaking. But he’s strong, he’s bouncing back, he’s recovering very well. I feel like it’s my job just to give him that light, that smile that he deserves, that he needs. Hopefully today was one of those days where he’s smiling.”

Harden was happy, too, as he bounced back from subpar performances in Games 2 and 3 in which he scored 12 and 16 points, respectively. It was a far cry from the 76ers’ Game 1 victory when Harden tied a career playoff-high with 45 points on 17 of 30 shooting. Over the next two games, both losses, Harden shot a combined 5 of 28, although he claimed he did not know of that statistic.

“I did?,” Harden said. “I don’t even remember that.”

In the past few days, fans were distraught at Harden, a player who’s been inconsistent throughout his postseason career, including last May when he shot just two times and didn’t score in the second half of the 76ers’ season-ending playoff loss to the Miami Heat.

After Sunday’s game, Harden was asked if he heard the recent “noise” or criticism.

“Not one bit,” he replied.

Harden added: “There’s always gonna be noise whether it’s good noise or bad noise. I’ve been in this game a very long time. I’ve heard it all.”

Sunday was one of those days when Harden reminded people why he’s made 10 All-Star Games and seven All-NBA teams, won the Most Valuable Player award in 2018, was named to the NBA’s 75th anniversary team last year and is regarded as one of the best offensive players of his generation.

The 76ers were up, 96-88, with 7:16 remaining before the Celtics scored the next 10 points to take a two-point lead. From there, Harden scored nine of Philadelphia’s final 11 points of regulation, including a floater with 15.9 seconds remaining to tie it at 107-107. On the other end, Boston guard Marcus Smart’s 3-pointer at the buzzer clanged off the front rim, sending the game to overtime.

During the extra session, the Celtics took a 115-113 lead on Jayson Tatum’s 3-pointer with 37.3 seconds left, a play that 76ers coach Doc Rivers said was “awful.” Rivers said he thought the referees should have called an offensive foul on Tatum for using his forearm to make contact with 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey and create enough space to shoot.

“You’ve got to call that play,” Rivers said. “I know it’s a big play and I’m a big fan of refs not deciding, but that could’ve decided the game.”

After a timeout, Harden made a 3 from the corner for a one-point lead with 18.2 seconds remaining. The Celtics again went back to Smart on the final possession. His 3 from the right wing went through the net, but it was after the final buzzer sounded, clinching the 76ers’ victory.

“James is awesome,” Rivers said. “For a day and a half, James had to get himself back. No one did that but James. Film is great. We talked and probably 15,000 other people talked to him.”

Rivers mentioned that before the game, he sent Harden a gospel song, “You Know My Name,” hoping to inspire him. Harden said he was surprised when he received the text while heading to the game, noting Rivers had never done that before.

“I’m like, ‘Alright, whatever,’” Harden said. “I just told my homies, ‘Let’s play a song.’ It’s a 7-minute song. I let the whole song play, and I’m like, ‘Alright, I’ve gotta do something. I’ve got good ju ju with this song. However he’s feeling, I want to feel like that.’ I guess it works.”

Harden relayed that anecdote while sitting at the postgame interview dais next to teammate P.J. Tucker, whose 3-point play tied it at 105-apiece late in regulation. Tucker insinuated that the song could be a good luck charm heading into Tuesday’s Game 5 in Boston. He told Harden as much.

“You better play it again,” Tucker said, laughing.