James Harden has silenced haters and doubters that said that he and Embiid wouldn’t work out, in his debut for the 76ers. The guard had an amazing game and recorded 27 points and 12 assists in the game. He proved that he could be a great facilitator and did not need to be the primary scoring option. Joel Embiid was the man on offence and had 34 points and 10 rebounds.
This game was a statement game by the 76ers. With all the questions surrounding Harden’s heath and how he would integrate with the team, the win as well as the great performance from the 2 superstars shows how great this team could be. Tyrese Maxey also had a great game with 28 points for the 76ers. The only other 76er in double digits was Matisse Thybulle with 11 points.
With the Eastern Conference as competitive as it is, the improved 76ers just adds to it. The Playoffs are going to be extremely entertaining this season and will be one of the best in the history of the NBA. The 76ers have lost a little depth with the loss of Andre Drummond and Seth Curry in the Harden trade but have the best duo in the NBA right now.
While the Timberwolves are a pretty good team, the 76ers need to play against a top-seeded team that can challenge them to see how good their chemistry is. They are going to have a stretch of games soon where they will play against the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Miami Heat and the Chicago Bulls. It is their performance in those games that will tell us more about the team.
The Game they after that is the one we all want to see. With the James Harden trade, a rivalry was created overnight. That game, if everyone is healthy and able to play, will be the best game this season. Right now Ben Simmons and Kevin Durant aren’t at 100% but if they are on 11th March, we will witness an amazing show.