What's James Harden's Mindset Heading Into Pivotal Stretch?

Recently, the Philadelphia 76ers have been playing some of their best basketball all season, winning nine of their previous 15 games, helping them climb to the third spot in the Eastern Conference.

In the four times they've lost, they've only trailed behind in single-digit margins, dropping games to the likes of the Boston Celtics, Dallas Mavericks, and Miami Heat. So, for the most part, their losses came at the expense of serious title contenders.

While they've found a recent run of success with a five-game win streak, their remaining schedule features some stiff competition, such as the aforementioned Celtics and Mavericks, as well as the Phoenix Suns, Golden State Warriors, Denver Nuggets, and Milwaukee Bucks.

Following Philadelphia's most recent win on Sunday against the Washington Wizards, James Harden has emphasized the importance of playing cohesively in the home stretch.

"These last 15 games are going to be crucial for us," said Harden, "We just want to be playing well, be in sync, and be on the same page. We'll live with the results."

The ten-time All-Star explained that despite his team's success on the road so far this season, they're still going to have to take it one step at a time regardless of who their opponents are.

"One game at a time, we've been pretty solid on the road all year long, so, one game at a time, no matter who we're playing," explained Harden, "Stick to what we do and try to be the best 76ers team we can be."

Going into their upcoming road trip, the Sixers have a record of 19-12 while outside of the Wells Fargo Center, which is the second best in the league, only trailing the Celtics.

Declan Harris contributes to All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him on Twitter: @DecIanH.

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