PHILADELPHIA >> James Harden showed in Game 1 he could still be as great once as he ever was in his prime. The Beard just overall these days isn’t as great as he once was in his halcyon days with Houston.

Harden’s occasional big postseason games for the 76ers — like the 45 points he dropped against Boston in a Game 1 win — now come with immediate fallout.

Like Game 2, when Harden shot 2 of 14 in a loss.

Or Game 3, when Harden had 3-for-14 shooting for 16 points in, yes, another loss.

For those keeping score at home, Harden’s 5-for-28 shooting the last two games is the worst for him over any two-game span in his career — that includes regular season or playoffs — in which he’s attempted at least 20 shots.

Yikes.

It’s no wonder the Celtics hold a 2-1 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals ahead of Sunday’s Game 4 in Philadelphia. It’s also no wonder why the whispers have grown louder that Harden wants to finish his career with the Rockets. Lose Game 4, and it could be the last one in Philly for Harden — and with more games like the last two, would the Sixers really be that crushed to see him go?

Harden brushed off concerns about his play, especially his odd Game 3 tendency of passing on open looks.

“I’m pretty good on basketball instincts,” Harden said. “I know when to score. I know when to pass, so I’m pretty sure a lot of it was the right play.”

Harden took a so-called discount (opting out of a $47.4 million deal this season to sign a more team-friendly extension) to chase a championship with reigning MVP Joel Embiid and the Sixers. The 10-time All-Star has a $35.6 million player option for the 2023-24 season and he will likely decline it and chase more riches elsewhere.

Maybe circumstances change if the 76ers get past Boston and make a deep run.

Bronny James commits to USC

LOS ANGELES >> LeBron James’ oldest son, Bronny, says he will play basketball at the University of Southern California in the fall.

Bronny James abruptly announced his much-anticipated decision on social media Saturday, about two hours before his father’s Los Angeles Lakers hosted the Golden State Warriors in Game 3 of their second-round playoff series.

The 18-year-old James was a McDonald’s All-American just like his father, but he was among the few uncommitted elite high school basketball prospects heading toward the summer. The namesake son of the top scorer in NBA history played at Sierra Canyon School, which is known for educating scions of the sports and entertainment industries in Chatsworth, an outer suburban neighborhood of Los Angeles.

James announced his decision by writing the Trojans’ school slogan, “Fight On,” below a photo of himself wearing his high school uniform in the Trojans’ locker room at the Galen Center.