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Washington (AFP) - Three-time NBA scoring champion James Harden is expected to miss the next month of the season with a tendon strain in his right foot, according to multiple reports on Thursday.
ESPN and the Philadelphia Inquirer reported the injury to the 33-year-old guard, the 2018 NBA Most Valuable Player.
Harden is averaging 22.0 points, 10.0 assists and 7.0 rebounds a game for the 76ers this season -- and he is the only player in the young NBA campaign with over 20 points and 10 rebounds per contest.
Harden suffered the injury in Philadelphia's 121-111 home loss to Washington on Wednesday.
The 76ers are off to a 4-5 start to the season and were without star big man Joel Embiid for three of their past four games, who sat out most recently with a non-Covid-19 illness.
Embiid, who is averaging 27.2 points and 9.5 rebounds, will be forced to take command of the Sixers with Harden absent.The injury will also push guard Tyrese Maxey, who is averaging a career-high 24.2 points a game and leads the league in total minutes played.