Joel Embiid

Ever since the Brooklyn Nets and the Philadelphia 76ers engineered the biggest blockbuster trade of this NBA season, much of the talk has centered around how Sixers newcomer James Harden would mesh with Joel Embiid, and more specifically how that particular pairing would impact this year’s title chase.

As important as their play will be to Philly’s chances at an NBA title, it’s another Sixers player, Tobias Harris, who will be the tipping point in this team’s quest for a title now and next year.

Prior to the February 10 trade deadline, Harris was among the players talked about as potentially being on the move, often linked with being part of a trade along with Ben Simmons. For now, Harris’ play will be a critical piece in what Sixers’ brass believes is a team that’s built to win it all, now.

The trade has worked out pretty well thus far for Philadelphia. In the five games played with Harden and Harris on the floor, Philadelphia has emerged victorious in each game.

But even with a good start that could result in Philly’s first NBA title since 1983, league executives are convinced the Sixers will be actively looking to move on from Harris this summer.

“It’s not that Tobias is a bad player; far from it,” an Eastern Conference scout said. “But that contract. He’s basically making max-player money as the team’s fourth option behind James, Joel and (Tyrese) Maxey.”

When Harris was traded to Philadelphia from the Los Angeles Clippers at the 2019 trade deadline, he was viewed as that much-needed shooter the Sixers were desperately looking for to pair with Embiid and Simmons. His scoring took a slight dip in Philly from 20.9 to 18.2 points per game, as did his three-point shooting (43.4 to 32.6 percent). But his floor-spacing potential was intriguing to a franchise that desperately wanted another wing scorer to complement Embiid and Simmons.

So Philadelphia rolled the dice and signed him to a five-year, $180 million contract. When the Sixers hired Doc Rivers—Harris' former coach with the Clippers—it wasn’t a stretch to believe that they would soon get the best Harris had to offer. Under Rivers in Los Angeles, Harris was his best version.

But Harris hasn't met expectations consistent with what a max or near-max-salaried player earns.

Of course, the very reason the Sixers will look to move him this summer—his contract—is the same hindrance to getting a deal done. The 6'8" wing has two years and $76.9 million remaining on the five-year, $180 million deal he signed prior to the 2019-2020 season.

It doesn’t help that Harris, 29, isn’t getting any younger at the same time his overall game statistically is trending in the wrong direction. This season, he is averaging 17.9 points, his lowest scoring average since 2016-17 when he was in Detroit (16.1 points per game while starting just 48 times).

A career 36.5 percent shooter from three-point range, Harris has made just 33.5 percent of his threes this season, and that number is actually better than how he had been shooting for most of the year.

His age and contract alone make him a difficult sell. He's still viewed as a good player, but not one that’s worth a near-max contract when someone with a slightly lower ceiling as a scorer could be acquired at a significantly smaller cap hit.

In the 10 games since the trade deadline passed, Harris has scored below his 17.9 points-per-game average in all but one game. In that span, he has averaged 12.4 points per night, shooting 50-of-122 (41.0 percent) from the field and 10-of-35 (28.6 percent)—both well below his season and career numbers.

However, you can’t ignore that despite the underwhelming numbers Harris has posted, the Sixers are still winning games when he’s on the floor.

Philadelphia has won eight of its last 10 games. And in the wins, the 76ers are plus-93 with Harris on the floor. In the two losses, they’re minus-50.

So the thought that he has a negative impact on the team’s success isn’t the issue.

More to the point, can Philly get comparable production from another player or players and do so in a way that provides added flexibility to spend in other areas of need?

NBA scouts and executives anticipate things will remain relatively quiet on Harris’ future between now and the playoffs. But there will come a point in the offseason when the Sixers will have to address it.

Until then, they'll focus on trying to get more out of all their players, Harris included.

The addition of Harden should, offensively at least, be a positive for Harris. You don’t have to look far to find players who will vouch for the benefits of playing with Harden. Shortly after being released by the Los Angeles Lakers, veteran center DeAndre Jordan signed with the 76ers in part to play with Harden again (the two were teammates in Brooklyn last season).

"I mean, for a big, or anybody trying to get easy baskets, he's the best guy to play with," Jordan said during his introductory press conference in Philly. "He's so unselfish when it comes to passing and getting guys open and getting other guys going because he can get himself going at any point in time."

The addition of Harden should create more scoring opportunities for Harris. But he is gradually falling back to the pack behind Embiid, Harden and Maxey in terms of shot distribution.

In the last 10 games, Harris has averaged 12.2 shots. During the same span, Maxey is getting 13.4 shot attempts per outing.

Harris' future is not one of the more pressing concerns for the Sixers now. But his status is important because who Harden plays with will go far in determining the likelihood of the Sixers’ title hopes and the chances of Harden sticking around longer than he did in Brooklyn.

The addition of Harden, regardless of how the wins are stacking up, is a good thing for Philadelphia.

But is it good for Harris?

Small sample sizes can be the enemy of clarity for NBA teams. They are hotbeds for anomalies and illusions. Every so often, though, tiny and immediate morsels of playing time yield results worth taking seriously, serving as reinforcements of the obvious.

This is all to say: The James Harden-era Philadelphia 76ers will be a problem.

The biggest, baddest, winningest problem in the Eastern Conference, perhaps.

Three wins into Harden's tenure alongside Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and crew have hinted at this much. All of them have come against unspectacular teams, including Wednesday night's 123-108 victory over the sad-and-sorry New York Knicks, who Philly has enjoyed the pleasure of beating twice over the past four days. But the Sixers are not juuust getting by through this stretch. Their three wins with Harden have come by at least 15 points.

And anyway, the instantaneous synergy and balance the offense has struck is more important than the level of competition it has come against. Some were concerned the Harden-Embiid connection, specifically, would need an extensive grace period. Harden, after all, doesn't have experience playing beside a ball-dominant big man who prefers to pop and post-up and face-up rather than roll.

Superstar talent has a way of figuring things out, especially over time. It appears Philly's megastar duo won't need any of the latter. 

Though Harden has thrown some passes that suggest the dynamic will need the slightest of learning curves, he doesn't look uncomfortable or out of place beside Embiid. If anything, he seems to be basking in the functional simplicity Embiid provides. 

More than half of The Process' 24 made baskets over the past three games have come off dimes from The Beard (13). Harden no longer needs to work as hard to table-set coming around high ball-screens. Embiid can catch tosses from behind the three-point line or with more space between him and the basket inside the arc.

Getting rid of the ball earlier ensures Harden's downhill attacks don't always need to last as long—or take place at all. Teensy sample in mind, he has gone from averaging 15.8 drives per 36 minutes with the Brooklyn Nets to fewer than 11 in a Sixers uniform.

Maxey has also streamlined the offensive transition for the new-age Sixers, and not just because he affords Harden a backcourt partner who actually plays in home games. His speed off the catch has given Harden a dangerous outlet away from the ball. And Maxey, for his part, seems to be reveling at the opportunity to operate in a more complementary capacity.

The relative lack of directionality on his drives is a non-issue when he's attacking more wide-open spaces, and he's thoroughly capitalizing on higher shot quality. Fewer than 49 percent of his looks were coming with a defender more than four feet away prior to Harden's debut. That share exploded above 75 percent entering Wednesday.

Playing all three of Embiid, Harden and Maxey together is so far akin to a cheat code that should have 29 other defenses on tilt:

Philly still has questions to answer looking ahead to the postseason and how it matches up with the East's other heavyweights. Almost all of them lie on the defensive end. The Sixers are sixth in points allowed per possession over the past three games but look a combination of slow and inattentive on the perimeter for dribs and drabs and are registering the foul rate to prove it.

Their backup-big rotation will remain an issue following the departure of Andre Drummond. Signing DeAndre Jordan probably isn't the answer. Continuing to rely on Paul Millsap isn't, either—unless he turns back the clock at least two years and, so long as he's warping space and time, figures out how to grow another two to four inches. The idea of Furkan Korkmaz postseason minutes is also pretty harrowing.

Still, the Sixers have already answered plenty of other questions that carry equal weight. 

Head coach Doc Rivers has cobbled together a rotation that will always have one of Embiid and Harden on the floor. Tethering Maxey to the solo-Embiid minutes and Tobias Harris to the Harden-only runs makes a world of sense. 

There has been a surprisingly faster cadence to how the Sixers play, as well. They were 27th in average offensive possession time before Harden's debut, according to Inpredictable. They have been noticeably quicker since.

Matisse Thybulle looks at home and doesn't feel like an offensive liability when surrounded by so much dynamite. He is shooting 37.5 percent on super-mega-ultra wide-open triples the past three games while ducking between preoccupied defenses for gimme conversions at the basket.

In the end, though, the new-look Sixers never needed to make good on granular details or disprove what were always bloated concerns right away. Immediately, they turned Seth Curry, Andre Drummond and Ben Simmons' vacant rotation spot into the gives-a-damn-again version of James Harden. (Draft equity doesn't win games or contend for titles in the here and now.)

And in doing so, they may have forged the league's best superstar duo—a pair of might-be top-five players working in concert with a viable, still-ascending No. 3 option (Maxey).

Officially, then, the Sixers have exited "Will this work?" territory, insofar as they were ever actually in it. They are now—and will remain—in the thick of the Eastern Conference title race.

They might even already be at the tippy top of it.

Unless otherwise noted, stats courtesy of NBA.com, Basketball Reference, Stathead or Cleaning the Glass and accurate entering Thursday's games. Salary information via Spotrac.

Dan Favale covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter (@danfavale), and listen to his Hardwood Knocks podcast, co-hosted by NBA Math's Adam Fromal.

Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid has traveled a long and winding professional road in his eight years in town, which have featured many ups and downs.

The arrow is clearly pointing up now, and after the 76ers' 123-108 home win over the New York Knicks on Wednesday, Embiid discussed some of those trials and tribulations when asked if he represents the team's culture at the moment.

Of note, he referenced the Jerry Colangelo burner account saga when discussing the drama he's been through since arriving on the scene in 2014.

The 76ers and their former general manager parted ways in 2018 after an independent investigation revealed that Colangelo's wife, Barbara, operated numerous Twitter burner accounts that lobbed criticisms at players (including Embiid) and others and divulged sensitive information. Colangelo denied knowledge of the burner accounts.

The investigation was in reaction to a report from Ben Detrick of The Ringer, who provided a lengthy breakdown of everything that went down.

Embiid has seen three basketball operations leaders (Sam Hinkie, Colangelo and Daryl Morey), two coaches (Brett Brown, Doc Rivers) and a host of teammates that have seemingly gone in and out of a revolving door over the past eight years. Embiid himself sat for two years because of a lingering right foot injury and was on a minutes restriction in 2016-17 to start his career.

The 76ers appear to have a good core now, though, with James Harden acting as Embiid's new running mate along with a solid supporting cast including Tyrese Maxey, Tobias Harris and Matisse Thybulle.

Everything is looking great for the 76ers as Embiid and Harden led the 38-23 team to its fourth straight win Wednesday. They are now just two games out of first in the Eastern Conference.

The Philadelphia 76ers are looking dominant with the newly acquired James Harden alongside Joel Embiid, and the latter couldn't agree more. 

Speaking with reporters after Philadelphia's 125-109 win over the New York Knicks on Sunday, Embiid said the team's two-man game with Harden is "unstoppable" and making life difficult for opposing defenders. 

Sunday's contest marked just the second time Embiid and Harden have taken the floor together. Harden made his debut Friday in a 133-102 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. 

Against the Timberwolves, the duo combined for 61 points. They were even better against the Knicks, combining for 66 points. Embiid finished with 37 points, nine rebounds and four blocks, while Harden had 29 points, 10 rebounds, 16 assists and five steals Sunday. 

This is the second time Embiid has praised Harden over the last few days. Following the Sixers' win over the Timberwolves, the veteran big man said playing with Harden has helped him be the "most wide-open" in his career thus far. 

Sixers head coach Doc Rivers also praised the All-Star point guard during Sunday's post-game press conference:

“Just his way of figuring out. He did a little bit of everything. The biggest thing was the steals, he had his hands everywhere, but I thought offensively, because they’re (the Knicks) a pretty solid defensive team, they made us really think and figure things out on the fly. I thought James did a great job of orchestrating where guys should be.”

Having Harden in the lineup makes a world of difference for Embiid. When former Sixer Ben Simmons was running the offense, Embiid was often tasked with doing the heavy lifting scoring-wise. Now, the workload is distributed more evenly, and Harden is making life easier for others around him, too.

Tyrese Maxey finished Sunday's game with 21 points, and that's because Harden does a tremendous job of opening up the floor for his teammates. Maxey and fellow starters Matisse Thybulle and Tobias Harris are also getting better looks because so much focus is on defending Harden and Embiid. 

With Sunday's win, the Sixers improved to 37-23 on the season. They are now just 2.5 games behind the Miami Heat for first place in the Eastern Conference. 

The 2021-22 Philadelphia 76ers have finally conquered the hapless New York Knicks.

Philadelphia defeated New York 125-109 in Sunday's Eastern Conference game at Madison Square Garden and improved to 37-23 with a third straight victory. James Harden, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey led the way for the visitors, who lost the first two meetings against the Knicks this season but controlled crunch time in this matchup.

Solid showings from Evan Fournier, Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett and Julius Randle weren't enough for New York, which fell to 25-36 overall and 1-9 in the last 10 after a fifth consecutive loss.

Notable Player Stats

• James Harden, G, PHI: 29 PTS, 16 AST, 10 REB, 5 STL
• Joel Embiid, C, PHI: 37 PTS, 9 REB, 4 BLK, 3 AST
• Tyrese Maxey, G, PHI: 21 PTS, 7 REB, 3 AST, 2 STL
• Evan Fournier, G, NYK: 24 PTS, 6-of-11 3PT
• RJ Barrett, G, NYK: 24 PTS, 6 AST, 5 REB, 2 STL
• Julius Randle, F, NYK: 16 PTS, 10 REB, 7 AST
• Immanuel Quickley, G, NYK: 21 PTS, 5 REB

Harden and Embiid Put on a Show in Win

The Harden show came to New York on Sunday, and it came with plenty of hype.

After all, Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters there's "no question" the 76ers have one of the best lineups in the league after adding the 10-time All-Star, and Embiid said, "That was probably the most wide open I've ever been in my career" after playing with Harden during Friday's win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The show continued against the Knicks with Harden notching a double-double in the first half alone with step-back threes, dimes to Embiid and Maxey and even multiple steals on the defensive end.

Never was Harden's impact clearer than a sequence in the first quarter when he created dunks for Embiid on back-to-back possessions first with a pick-and-roll and then with a behind-the-back pass in transition. Throw in the big man drawing MVP chants on the road as he went to the line for 15 free throws in the first half, and it was largely smooth sailing for the 76ers in the early going.

It wasn't all great thanks to Tobias Harris' struggles that turned into frustration and a technical foul in the second half, but Maxey helped make up for it as a third star with his shooting and motor on both ends of the floor.

Still, Harris' issues and the overall lack of offensive depth outside of the Harden, Embiid and Maxey trio was a concern as was the defense as the Knicks came charging back to take the lead in the fourth quarter.

Yet talent won out in dramatic fashion in crunch time as Embiid continued to get to the line and took advantage of Harden's passing with a transition dunk. Add in monster threes from Harris and Maxey while Harden was in full control of seemingly every possession, and the 76ers left no doubt who the better team was at winning time.

Comeback Effort Falls Short for Knicks

Urgency was to be expected from the Knicks on Sunday considering they entered play four games back of the final spot in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament with an upcoming seven-game road trip looming.

And they provided some quick reason for optimism, including Jericho Sims' willingness to battle Embiid on the defensive end. The rookie had double-digit rebounds in the first half, blocked Embiid at the rim and provided a source of energy that has largely been missing from the rotation.

Fournier found his stroke from the outside, Cam Reddish provided a spark off the bench, and Barrett and Randle at least got to the free-throw line in attack mode even if they didn't consistently take advantage on the stripe.

Still, New York was down nine at the half and fell behind by double digits in large part because its defense had no chance for extended stretches against the star power on the other end.

It would have been easy to fold in the middle of a losing streak as the Harden, Embiid and Maxey trio continued to play well, but the Knicks battled back instead. Fournier took over as a scorer at times, Quickley extended the momentum with a steal and three, Randle started facilitating, and the deficit was down to just two heading into the fourth quarter.

Quickley continued to roll by attacking the rim as New York took the lead in that final frame, but that momentum came to a screeching halt when Sims and Mitchell Robinson both fouled out as the frontcourt failed to contain Embiid without contact.

The Knicks suddenly didn't have even a resemblance of an answer for Embiid and couldn't contain the big man down the stretch as the lead and game slipped away.                     

What's Next?

These Atlantic Division teams play again in Philadelphia on Wednesday.

The James Harden-Joel Embiid pairing in Philadelphia got off to a tremendous start Friday as the 76ers crushed the Minnesota Timberwolves 133-102. Harden and Embiid combined for 61 points, 18 rebounds and 15 assists, with the former player posting a plus-35 rating.

After the game, 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey provided some comments to ESPN's Ramona Shelburne regarding Harden's long-time desire to play with the five-time All-Star Joel Embiid.

"James is a basketball genius," Morey said. "And he's been wanting to play with Joel for a long time. I think he's always thought Joel was, like, the perfect guy to pair with him."

Morey and Harden were together with the Houston Rockets from 2012-2020. It didn't take long for the two to reunite as the president of basketball ops engineered a blockbuster deal with the Brooklyn Nets for the 2017-18 NBA MVP just prior to the Feb. 10 trade deadline.

It's pretty clear after just one game how much Harden helps Embiid and vice versa.

"That was probably the most wide-open I've ever been in my career," Embiid said after the game.

Harden is pleased as well.

"[I'm] extremely happy," Harden said after the Minnesota game. "Extremely happy."

As Shelburne noted, five of Harden's 12 dimes went to Embiid, who shot 10-of-18 from the field and made 3-of-5 three-pointers.

The 76ers have a good chance to keep the momentum rolling with a home-and-home series against the reeling 25-35 New York Knicks, who are 3-14 in their last 17 games. Philadelphia will host New York first on Sunday.

Philadelphia 76ers big man Joel Embiid is already enjoying playing alongside new teammate James Harden, who made his Sixers debut on Friday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves. 

After a 133-102 win over the Timberwolves at Target Center, Embiid was asked what he thought about Harden. 

"That was probably the most wide-open I've ever been in my career," Embiid said. "I had a lot of easy baskets. I used to have to go for everything, but in the fourth quarter, the shot-making ability, shot creation...you should've seen my face. I was just like, 'I've never had this,' nothing close to it. So, hopefully that continues." 

Harden finished with 27 points, eight rebounds and 12 assists, while Embiid finished with 34 points, 10 rebounds and three assists. The duo is already looking like one of the best in the NBA, and their connection is clear. 

Harden is a significant upgrade from Ben Simmons, whom the Sixers traded to the Brooklyn Nets at the trade deadline. The 2017-18 NBA MVP has the ability to create shots for not only himself but also for the players around him.

When Simmons was in Philadelphia, Embiid was often tasked with doing a lot of the work for himself. So having Harden on board is a significant change that will only benefit the MVP candidate. 

Friday's win helped the Sixers improve to 36-23 on the season. They are now just 2.5 games behind the Miami Heat for first place in the Eastern Conference. 

James Harden made his Philadelphia 76ers debut Friday against the Minnesota Timberwolves, and he did not disappoint in a 133-102 win at Target Center to help the team to improve to 36-23.

Harden's debut officially marks a new era in Philadelphia. The Sixers acquired Harden at the trade deadline earlier this month in a deal that sent Ben Simmons to the Brooklyn Nets, but he had been sidelined with a hamstring injury, missing four games. 

Philadelphia went 3-1 in Harden's absence, including a big win over the Milwaukee Bucks before the All-Star break. With the three-time scoring champion now on the floor alongside Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, the Sixers are looking like one of the teams to beat in the Eastern Conference. 

Notable Stats

James Harden, SG, PHI: 27 PTS, 8 REB, 12 AST

Karl-Anthony Towns, C, MIN: 25 PTS, 7 REB, 3 AST

Joel Embiid, C, PHI: 34 PTS, 10 REB, 3 AST, 1 STL

Anthony Edwards, SF, MIN: 15 PTS, 3 REB, 5 AST, 1 STL, 1 BLK

Tyrese Maxey, PG, PHI: 28 PTS, 2 REB, 2 AST, 4 STL

D'Angelo Russell, PG, MIN: 21 PTS, 3 REB, 3 AST

James Harden Makes Immediate Impact in Sixers Debut

Harden's 76ers debut couldn't have gone any better, and his connection with Joel Embiid was on full display. 

Despite Harden returning from a hamstring injury with a new team and new system, he excelled and made it look like he has been playing for the Sixers the entire season.

The 32-year-old finished with 27 points, eight rebounds and 12 assists in Friday's win. He made seven of 12 shots from the floor and five of seven shots from deep in what was one of his better performances of late. 

Even before Harden made his 76ers debut, many were talking about the connection he could potentially build with Embiid. Both players are dominant scorers, but Embiid does most of his work from mid-range and in the post, while Harden is a great perimeter scorer. 

Embiid and Harden have likely been working on their rapport from the minute the former Net landed in Philadelphia. The veteran big man lauded Harden before shootaround Friday, saying he's a "great person, a great personality, always smiling, fun to be around," according to ESPN's Tim Bontemps. 

Embiid added: "His presence on the team, and on the floor, has really changed a lot since he got here. So I'm just excited for that to continue on the court and I think that's going to help us a lot."

That said, it should also be noted that both players went to work even when they weren't on the court together in Minnesota. As Bontemps noted, Sixers head coach Doc Rivers staggered his lineup throughout the first half, often deciding to put Tobias Harris and Harden together and Embiid with Tyrese Maxey. When one duo was on the court, the other was on the bench. 

Though, when it comes down to it, both Harden and Embiid were on the floor in critical moments and that will only continue throughout the remainder of the season.

Harden and Embiid are already looking like they're going to be one of the best big-point guard combos in the NBA. If they can replicate the success they found Friday, they'll be one of the most difficult duos to play against come playoff time. 

Karl-Anthony Towns Gets Out to Slow Start in Sluggish Performance

Fresh off winning the three-point competition at All-Star weekend, Towns got out to a rough start against the Sixers on Friday night. He started 3-of-13 and 0-of-4 from three and finished making just 8-of-19 shots from the floor and 2-of-6 shots from deep. 

Towns definitely had a much better fourth quarter, but it was too little, too late as Harden and Embiid teamed up to overpower a Timberwolves squad that had high hopes for Friday's game after defeating the Grizzlies on Thursday. 

It's was a sluggish, uncharacteristic outing for Towns, who is typically Minnesota's leader. However, it should be noted that Anthony Edwards and the remainder of the Timberwolves' offense struggled through much of the first half. 

In fact, the Timberwolves entered Friday's game averaging 57.4 first-half points per game, which ranked fifth in the NBA. Against the Sixers, they put up just 49 in the first half. 

As a team, the Timberwolves finished shooting just 41.2 percent from the floor and 23.1 percent from deep. Their three-point shooting, slow start and lack of defense is really what slowed them down against the Sixers. 

Luckily, the Timberwolves will have a few days off before their next game, and both Towns and Edwards should be well-rested and ready to go by then. 

What's Next?

The 76ers will travel to face the New York Knicks on Sunday, while the Timberwolves will be on the road to take on the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday.