76ers wait on Harden's debut following trade

CAMDEN, N.J. (AP) — James Harden will not play for the Philadelphia 76ers in games Friday and Saturday night, and his debut is on hold until he's evaluated this weekend by the team's performance staff.

The earliest Harden could play for the 76ers is at home Tuesday against Boston. The Sixers also play Thursday at NBA champion Milwaukee before the All-Star break.

Harden, the 2018 MVP, was acquired Thursday from Brooklyn in a multi-player deal that saw the Sixers send one-time franchise cornerstone Ben Simmons to the Nets.

Harden would have missed his his fourth straight game Thursday with a hamstring injury. He has averaged 25.0 points, 5.6 rebounds and 6.7 assists in his career with Brooklyn, Houston and Oklahoma City.

The Sixers head into Friday's game against Oklahoma City at 32-22 and three games out of the top spot in the Eastern Conference.

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