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The Philadelphia 76ers lastly pulled off the long-rumored Ben Simmons-for-James Harden commerce on the deadline this 12 months, however because of Harden’s sore hamstring and the All-Star break, they needed to wait some time for him to make his debut. The persistence has greater than paid off.
Harden has had a borderline excellent begin along with his new membership. After going for 27 factors, eight rebounds and 12 assists in a win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday, he made historical past by placing up 29 factors, 10 rebounds, 16 assists and 5 steals because the Sixers pulled away from the New York Knicks on Sunday afternoon for 125-109 victory.
Within the course of, Harden turned the primary participant in NBA historical past to place up no less than 25 factors and 10 assists in every of his first two video games with a crew. Moreover, he turned the primary participant in Sixers franchise historical past to have no less than 25 factors, 10 rebounds, 15 assists and 5 steals in a sport.
Any considerations which will have been floating round on the market about how Harden and Joel Embiid, who scored 37 factors Sunday towards the Knicks, would match collectively have rapidly been wiped away. Even if you wish to argue that issues will not be fairly as simple towards higher competitors, it is clear that that is going to be a dynamite pairing.
Each gamers are greater than able to carrying an offense by themselves, so you possibly can stagger them and at all times have an MVP-level expertise on the ground. And while you play them collectively they solely make issues simpler for one another. As Embiid stated after Harden’s first sport, “I’ve by no means been so extensive open in my complete profession.”
Plus, the 2 are already displaying some good chemistry on the pick-and-roll, and good luck as soon as they actually determine that out. Embiid is so huge and such a terrific screener that they are typically going to wind up with Harden going downhill enjoying two-on-one. Simply try these possessions from the tip of the primary half.
Right here they run a easy pick-and-roll in semi-transition, Mitchell Robinson steps to Harden and he delivers an ideal pocked move to Embiid for an and-one:
A minute later they ran one other pick-and-roll in the course of the ground. This time Julius Randle would not decide to Harden so he will get all the way in which to the rim for a layup:
In fact, you possibly can’t discuss this sport or these two gamers with out mentioning the free throws. Embiid went 23 of 27 from the road towards the Knicks, capturing essentially the most free throws of any participant in a sport this 12 months, whereas Harden went 10 of 10. Collectively they’ve shot 59 free throws of their first two video games collectively, and it is clear that is going to be a large downside for different groups.
Requested concerning the budding partnership after the win over the Knicks, Embiid wanted only one phrase: “unstoppable.” After the early returns, that is exhausting to argue.
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