A new era is set to begin for the Philadelphia 76ers.

James Harden is set to make his Sixers debut Friday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

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Recently named a member of the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team, the star guard provides elite scoring and playmaking that could help Philadelphia make a deep run in the playoffs for the first time since reaching the NBA Finals in 2001.

A blockbuster deal earlier this month saw Harden and Paul Millsap traded out of Brooklyn in exchange for Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond and draft picks.

Oddsmakers reacted to the deal before Harden could even touch the court.

Prior to the trade deadline, the 76ers were +1100 to win the NBA Title. After acquiring Harden, their odds shortened to +650. The Nets saw their odds lengthen from +350 to +420.

After missing time with a hamstring injury, Harden is ready to return to game action Friday night. Let’s look at some of his props ahead of his debut.

76ers vs. Timberwolves

Line: 76ers - 2.5 

Total: 229.5

 

POINTS: 21.5

After averaging 22.5 points per game with the Nets this season, oddsmakers think Harden will hit the ground running to start his career in Philadelphia.

Harden has averaged 22.7 points per game since the calendar flipped to the new year.

Last season, after forcing his way out of Houston, Harden scored 32 points in his Nets’ debut against the Orlando Magic.

Harden has played 42 games against Minnesota since entering the league, averaging 24.0 points per contest.

 

ASSISTS: 9.5 (+125)

After averaging 10.5 assists per game in Brooklyn, Harden will look to keep his high assists total rolling with new teammate Joel Embiid.

When Harden was acquired by the 76ers, he was asked about the superstar centre and how their partnership would work.

“I think we complement each other," Harden said early in his news conference on Feb. 15. "Obviously, the whole world knows how great Joel has been playing."

A few hours later, Embiid was asked the same question.

"As you look at the teams that have won in the past, whether you look at the Golden State [Warriors] teams, even the [Los Angeles] Lakers and Milwaukee [Bucks] last year, they just move the ball," he said.

"[Harden is] probably up there as far as the best playmakers out of the pick-and-roll, so obviously you got to add that even more to our offence."

Harden led the league in assists during the 2016-17 season, and the connection between him and 6-foot-10 Rockets centre Clint Capela produced one of the better pick-and-roll combos in the league.

While success for Harden and Capela took some time to figure out, Embiid and Harden seem to understand they need each other to succeed.

While he scored 32 points in his Nets’ debut last season, he also added 14 assist and 12 rebounds.

 

3PT MADE: 2.5 (+130)

Entering Friday night, Harden is averaging just 2.3 three-pointers made per game this season.

If that number were to hold, it would be the lowest number of his threes made per game for Harden since his first season with the Rockets in 2012-13.

In Brooklyn, Harden converted from beyond the arc 34.8 per cent of the time, a rate just below his career average of 36.2 per cent.

It was the attempts per game that have held back his three-point success this season.

In 44 games with Brooklyn, Harden attempted seven three-pointers per game, a full two shots lower than the nine he averaged per game during his near decade in Houston.

And because I know you’re wondering, he made three of his 10 attempts from long range against the Magic last year in his Nets’ debut.