The trade of James Harden to the Philadelphia 76ers gave Philly fans plenty of hope. They were ecstatic at the fact that they finally had a superstar who could lead the team alongside Joel Embiid. And that’s exactly what the duo has done since Harden’s move. However, in Harden’s 6th game as a Sixer, his team and him were blown out. The Nets reigned superior as they blew past by 29 points.

Harden too had a poor performance scoring just 11 points. It was something unexpected from the superstar. This begs the question regarding how Harden and the 76ers will show up against the powerhouses of the league. Furthermore, can they beat the Nets, whom they are very likely to face in the playoffs?

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Many people feel that Harden’s time to step up against these powerhouses is now. Moreover, he cannot be excused for his poor performance. And one such person who feels this way is Shaquille O’Neal.

Shaquille O’Neal on James Harden

Following the loss, Harden admitted to the no-show from the Sixers and mentioned to reporters that the loss was beneficial to keep them grounded. In light of this, Shaq added that Harden needs to ‘step up’ in big games and explained the importance of the matchup against the Nets.

“This is what we pay you for. $40 Million. Everybody’s been waiting for this game. This game had playoff implications. You’re going to have to beat them to get to the championship,” said Shaq on Harden.

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“You wanted to be traded somewhere where you had the chance to win a championship. You got to show us now, you got to show Philly now,” added Shaq.

Furthermore, he added that Harden would have to perform at a high level regularly without taking any games off.

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“You can’t have games off. Hakeem Olajuwon didn’t take games off. Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, didn’t take games off. Jordan, Scottie Pippen didn’t take games off,” he explained.

Clearly, Shaq believes that Harden’s time in Philly is now or never. He will have to prove his superstardom to the league on a regular basis to win the title. After all, that is why he is 76er today. The Sixers believe in Harden and it’s time for him to deliver.