Philadelphia 76ers

Philadelphia 76ers guard James Harden had a disappointing showing throughout the postseason, but he doesn't plan on going anywhere.

Harden, who has a $47.4 million player option remaining on his deal, told reporters "I'll be here" when asked if he intends to remain with Philadelphia and added, "We’re trying to win a championship."

Philadelphia's season came to an end on Thursday in a 99-90 loss to the Miami Heat in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. Harden scored just 11 points on 4-of-9 shooting to go with four rebounds, nine assists and four turnovers.

For the series, Harden averaged 18.2 points, 6.3 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 4.8 turnovers while shooting 40.4 percent from the field and 33.2 percent from beyond the arc. He looked like a shell of the player Philadelphia hoped it had acquired in a blockbuster trade with the Brooklyn Nets midway through the year.

Harden indicated that he might not have been fully healthy throughout the playoffs. He told reporters that he plans on using the summer to recover from things that have been ailing him over the past two years and "get straight" for next season.

The Sixers could choose to lock up Harden on a long-term extension. When asked if he’s willing to take less money on a new deal, Harden responded, "Whatever it takes to make this team better."

Philadelphia has a long list of decisions to make this offseason if it hopes to be a title contender next year. The Sixers are committed to building around star center Joel Embiid, so they will have to put the right pieces around him while he's in his prime. It remains to be seen if the team believes Harden is a part of that future.

The Philadelphia 76ers' championship-or-bust season came to an abrupt end Thursday with a 99-90 loss to the Miami Heat in Game 6 of their Eastern Conference Semifinals series, but head coach Doc Rivers doesn't expect drastic changes ahead of the 2022-23 campaign.

"We're not going to tear it apart," he told reporters.

Frankly, it isn't a significant stretch to suggest things could have easily unfolded differently for this 76ers team.

Joel Embiid missed the first two games of the series against the Heat because of a concussion and orbital fracture. Philadelphia dropped both of those and was fighting an uphill battle against the top seed the rest of the way.

Even when he was on the floor, the MVP runner-up was playing through a torn thumb ligament and with a mask because of the orbital fracture. He looked far less than 100 percent, especially as the physical series entered Games 5 and 6.

Philadelphia also lost Danny Green to a knee injury in the first quarter of Thursday's game, giving it even less depth to work with around an injured Embiid.

On paper, that seems like an ideal time for James Harden to respond like a 10-time All-Star with a league MVP on his resume. Instead, he attempted a mere two shots in the entire second half and looked disinterested for extended stretches, which surely frustrated 76ers fans.

Harden will be 33 years old for the 2022-23 campaign and seems to be missing the explosiveness he played with in his prime. Moving on from him would represent a drastic change, but the 76ers only have so much control when it comes to the guard considering he has a $47.4 million player option for next season.

Rivers' comments indicate the same core will be back, and a run to the NBA Finals isn't out of the question if Embiid can remain healthy and Harden is better.

But the guard's effort in Thursday's elimination game won't be enough next season either.      

After the Philadelphia 76ers were eliminated from the playoffs by losing Game 6 to the Miami Heat on Thursday night, head coach Doc Rivers was asked if he was concerned about his future in Philadelphia.

Rivers expressed confidence in the job he did this year in getting the team to the Eastern Conference semifinals.

"I don't worry about my job. I think I do a terrific job, and if you don't, then you should write it, because I worked my butt off to get this team here," Rivers told reporters. "When I first got here, no one picked us to be anywhere, and again this year the same thing. So if that's how anyone feels, write it and I'm gonna feel secure about it."

The Sixers fell behind by as many as 20 points on their way to a 99-90 loss on their home floor. Philadelphia committed 13 turnovers and allowed Miami to grab 13 offensive rebounds. It was a disappointing performance in a closeout game.

Thursday's game was not an anomaly for the Sixers. Throughout this postseason, the team's effort level has been wildly inconsistent. Philadelphia's lack of focus has led many to speculate about Rivers' job security.

"I believe if Doc Rivers doesn’t win this series he will be fired," ESPN's Stephen A. Smith said last month during Philadelphia's first-round series against the Toronto Raptors. "And I don’t think he deserves it; it would tick me off about it to be quite honest with you. But I have been in Philadelphia and I’ve covered the NBA long enough to know when there’s smoke there’s fire."

In two seasons as Sixers head coach, Rivers has a combined record of 100-54. Philadelphia was also eliminated in the conference semifinals last year.

Rivers is regarded as one of the top coaches in the NBA, but he's struggled to find postseason success since leading the Boston Celtics to an NBA title in 2008. Since then, he's reached the conference finals or further only twice.

If Philadelphia chooses to part ways with Rivers, he will undoubtedly generate a lot of interest from other teams with head coach openings, such as the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Philadelphia 76ers made this season championship-or-bust when they landed James Harden in the trade that sent Ben Simmons to the Brooklyn Nets.

Harden must have missed the memo.

Philadelphia's season went up in smoke Thursday with a 99-90 home loss to the Miami Heat in Game 6 of their Eastern Conference Semifinals series. While Joel Embiid shot just 7-of-24 from the field while playing with a torn thumb ligament and a mask because of an orbital fracture, it was Harden who drew the fans' ire.

The 10-time All-Star and 2017-18 MVP is supposed to be the type of franchise playmaker who can elevate his game when Danny Green was lost to a knee injury and Embiid was battling through multiple ailments, but he attempted a mere two shots in the entire second half, was lackadaisical on defense and didn't seem to have much interest in moving away from the ball:

That a clearly limited Embiid was diving on the ground and playing to the level of exhaustion only exacerbated the reaction to Harden.

Max Strus (20 points, 11 rebounds and five assists) and Jimmy Butler (32 points and eight boards) led the way on the other side for the Heat, who will face the winner of the series between the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals.

The Philadelphia 76ers are facing a must-win game against the Miami Heat on Thursday, and it did not get off to an ideal start.

Danny Green suffered a knee injury in the first quarter during a collision with Joel Embiid. Tim Bontemps of ESPN noted Embiid fell on Green's left leg, and the guard was helped to the locker room in the immediate aftermath.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Green was ruled out for the rest of the contest and will undergo an MRI. Wojnarowski noted there is now "significant concern" regarding the severity of the setback.

Green scored 21 points in Game 3 and 11 points in Game 4 of this series, shooting a combined 10-for-13 from deep in Philadelphia's two wins.

His outside shooting is key because it spaces the floor when defenders focus on Joel Embiid and James Harden. Green is a 39.9 percent shooter from deep in his career and averaged 5.9 points and 2.5 rebounds per game this season.

The North Carolina product has played for the Cleveland Cavaliers, San Antonio Spurs, Toronto Raptors, Los Angeles Lakers and 76ers throughout his career and has a resume that includes three championships.

Former teammate LeBron James reacted to the injury:        

Philadelphia immediately turned to Matisse Thybulle off the bench after Green suffered the injury.

While Thybulle is nowhere near the shooter Green is, he is a formidable defender and should help contain Jimmy Butler and Co. if given more playing time. Still, the 76ers' depth on the wing takes a major hit without the veteran starter available.             

Tyrese Maxey has emerged as one of the NBA's brightest young stars in just his second season, serving as a crucial player for the Philadelphia 76ers as they seek a championship. 

But Maxey told Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports that he never expected to be on the board in the 2020 NBA draft when Philly drafted him No. 21 overall:

"I thought Miami would take me at No. 20. Look, I was blessed and happy to be drafted, first and foremost. I thank the Lord every day for this opportunity. It was my dream to be drafted. But also looking at it as a competitor, I felt like I was good enough to be drafted at a higher position. When teams pass up on you, you never forget about it.

"Miami, Orlando and San Antonio. Those were the three teams I thought would draft me. When I started slipping, I was upset, but I kept reminding myself that my dream of getting drafted was coming true."

The Spurs instead drafted Devin Vassell No. 11 overall, while the Magic took Cole Anthony at No. 15 and the Heat selected Precious Achiuwa at No. 20. With all due respect to those players, the Spurs and Heat would probably like a mulligan. 

In fact, outside of the Minnesota Timberwolves (Anthony Edwards at No. 1), Charlotte Hornets (LaMelo Ball at No. 3) and Sacramento Kings (Tyrese Haliburton at No. 12)—and maybe the Detroit Pistons (Saddiq Bey at No. 19), Chicago Bulls (Patrick Williams at No. 4) and the aforementioned Magic—quite a few teams from that draft would undoubtedly like a second chance to go back and nab Maxey.

"I don't really think about that yet," Maxey told Haynes about where he might go if the 2020 draft was redone. "I just take everything day-by-day. I'm always watching all my draft peers to check up on them and make sure they're doing great. But I'm just glad to be here, honestly. I'm extremely excited when I got drafted and I really do appreciate the organization for giving me this opportunity."

The 21-year-old averaged 17.5 points, 4.3 assists and 3.2 rebounds per game during the 2021-22 season, shooting 48.5 percent from the field, 42.7 percent from three and 86.6 percent from the free-throw line. He is a blur in transition, an excellent finisher at the basket and his dramatic improvement as a shooter—he shot 30.1 percent from three as a rookie—has opened up his half-court scoring.

After primarily coming off the bench for the Sixers as a rookie, Maxey started 74 games for the Sixers in the regular season, a necessity when Ben Simmons remained away from the team while he demanded a trade. 

If Maxey remains on his current career trajectory, Simmons' decision to not play for the Sixers this past season before he was dealt to Brooklyn might wind up being blessing in disguise in the long term. The extra playing time for the former Kentucky guard revealed a star in the making. 

And falling to Philadelphia benefitted Maxey as well. As his agent Rich Paul said to him while he slipped in the draft, "fit over pick."

"He explained that where you're drafted at is more important than the number you're drafted at," Maxey told Haynes. "And I think that really helped me and my mindset. You want to be somewhere where you can play right away, a place where you're in the right system, the right situation with the right type of guys. And Rich knowing me, he knew I liked to win. So I’m thankful to be in a place where I can be competitive and help a team win a championship right away."

So are the Sixers. 

Philadelphia 76ers star center Joel Embiid noticeably had a lack of energy during Tuesday's 120-85 loss to the Miami Heat in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

After the game, Embiid told reporters that he felt he had the right mindset for the matchup, but his body didn't cooperate amid his multiple ailments.

"There's a lot going on. Sometimes your body, and whatever that's going on, as you know, just won't allow you to just be yourself," Embiid said. "In those moments,  you've just gotta keep pushing and hope for the best."

Embiid led the Sixers with 17 points on 7-of-12 shooting in the blowout loss, which put Philadelphia in a 3-2 hole. Throughout the broadcast, the commentary wondered if Embiid's lack of energy was tied to Nikola Jokic reportedly being named NBA MVP for the second straight season.

However, Embiid was more likely hindered by the injuries that have plagued him throughout this postseason. He's dealt with a concussion, facial fracture and injuries to his hand and wrist. Tuesday's game was also a very physical contest that saw Embiid hit the floor multiple times.

Embiid wasn't the only Philadelphia player to struggle on Tuesday. James Harden followed up a 31-point performance in Game 4 with just 14 points. Tobias Harris added 12, and Tyrese Maxey had nine points on 2-of-10 shooting.

The Sixers allowed the Heat to shoot a blistering 53.6 percent from the field. Miami also out-rebounded Philadelphia 46-36.

"They were just more physical," Philadelphia head coach Doc Rivers said after the game. "We didn't run anything. We didn't run our stuff very well. We played at a snail's pace ... everything they did tonight was harder and better. Their stuff was better, their energy was better."

The Sixers will look to avoid being eliminated from the postseason on their home floor on Thursday.

Denver Nuggets big man Nikola Jokic reportedly won the NBA's 2022 MVP award for the second straight year, beating out Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo and Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid for the honor.

Speaking to reporters after Philly's 120-85 Game 5 loss to the Miami Heat on Tuesday, Embiid congratulated Jokic for winning the award, which has yet to be officially announced. He also said "there's no right or wrong" answer between himself, Antetokounmpo, Jokic and even Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker for the honor.

Many believed Embiid, this year's scoring champion, should have been named the league's MVP after he put together the best statistical season of his career. He was also the first center since Shaquille O'Neal in 2000 to be named scoring champion.

The 28-year-old averaged 30.6 points, 11.7 rebounds and 4.2 assists while shooting 49.9 percent from the floor and 37.1 percent from deep in 68 regular-season games. He also averaged 1.1 steals and 1.5 block per game.

Embiid's career year helped the Sixers finish fourth in the Eastern Conference with a 51-31 record. They were technically tied for the second-best record in the East, but the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks earned the No. 2 and No. 3 seeds, respectively, because of tiebreakers.

What's even more impressive about Embiid's performance is that he did it without a true No. 2 beside him as Ben Simmons sat out until he was eventually traded to the Brooklyn Nets for James Harden. That said, Tyrese Maxey also had a career year and blossomed into a star for the Sixers.

Even 76ers head coach Doc Rivers was disappointed that Embiid didn't win the award, telling reporters before Tuesday's Game 5 that he's unsure what more the 2014 third overall pick could have done"

I don't know if a guy could've done more than he did this year, play without the second-best player [Ben Simmons] all year. Listen, his resume was great. I'm not taking anything away from Jokic either, because he's a hell of a player.

I do think this whole analytic-driven society, world is out of control at times with some of the measures that they use. Like, watch the dang game and decide is what I've always said.

Jokic was still deserving of the honor, especially considering he led a severely depleted Nuggets team, which was without Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. for much of the season, to the playoffs.

The 27-year-old also improved upon his numbers from the 2020-21 season, when he won his first MVP award. He averaged a career-high 27.1 points and 13.8 rebounds, in addition to 7.9 assists and 1.5 steals, in 74 regular-season games.

In addition, Jokic shot 58.3 percent from the floor and 33.7 percent from deep and became the first player in NBA history to record 2,000 points (2,004), 1,000 rebounds (1,019), and 500 assists (584) in a single season.

Considering Embiid is just 28 years old, he still has plenty of time to add an MVP trophy to his numerous accolades. Who knows, maybe it will come as early as next season.