BOSTON -- As one second after another ticked off the clock, Philadelphia 76ers star James Harden continued to eye both the basket and his defender, Boston Celtics center Al Horford, with the Sixers trailing by one in the closing seconds of Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals Monday night.
And, like he has countless times before in his Hall of Fame career, Harden saw the moment when he could create the separation necessary to get off his patented step-back jumper -- and took it.
When the ball softly dropped through the net for the final time for Harden on the night -- tying his playoff career high of 45 points in the process -- teammate Joel Embiid celebrated wildly on the sidelines, Harden and the 76ers having stolen back home court with a thrilling 119-115 victory without him.