Harden, Embiid Show Promise of Partnership in Blowout Win in Debut

Three very quick thoughts on James Harden’s debut with the Sixers, a 133–102 win over the Timberwolves…

1. Offensively, Philly thrived against Minnesota. Harden impacted the game in multiple ways, and he at least put some play on tape that would suggest he’s willing to adjust his offensive style to Embiid’s. First and foremost, it was refreshing to see Harden whip around the perimeter and come off handoffs from his big man. That was a pet play for the Sixers when Seth Curry was in the backcourt, and perhaps their most effective action outside of throwing the ball to Embiid on the block. A committed Harden running that play should give the Sixers open look after open look. The Beard has to be respected both as a shooter and driver, while Embiid can’t be left alone anywhere inside the arc. On multiple occasions, handoffs resulted in either Harden putting a defender on his hip and breaking down the defense, or coming open for three.

The extra attention on Harden should also make life easier for Tyrese Maxey. The budding star shot 12-of-16 on Friday, and actually outscored his backcourt partner. As long as Harden keeps moving off the ball and running two-man actions with Embiid, the defense will be tilted in that direction. That allows Maxey some cleaner driving lanes than he had before.

Lastly, Harden also pushed the pace in a way the Sixers normally don’t. Philly ranks 27th in pace, which makes sense considering Embiid’s strengths. Harden rebounded and pushed on a few occasions Friday night, in a way not totally different from the way Ben Simmons would at times. Harden bringing back some of those early shot clock opportunities—with or without Embiid on the floor—should help juice the offense.

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2. Defensively, the Sixers were in a fortunate position against the Timberolves. Embiid mostly played roamer as opposed to guarding Karl-Anthony Towns one-on-one, and Philly switched quite often off the ball. Essentially, the Wolves didn’t really have the personnel to attack Harden and Embiid in pick-and-rolls. While Embiid is a great defender, forcing Harden to defend screens without the ability to switch would seem like the most obvious way to attack the Sixers. Minnesota couldn’t quite make that happen Friday. The off-ball switching was certainly an interesting wrinkle because Embiid is almost exclusively a drop player. This aspect of the partnership will certainly still need some time to be fully sorted out, even if the start was promising.

3. For everybody wondering if Doc Rivers would stagger his stars—something he was loath to do with Embiid and Simmons—he delivered on letting each of his big names get their own time to cook. Harden came out relatively early in the first and then took over without Embiid, anchoring some second-unit lineups along with Tobias Harris for a long stretch in the opening half. Harden has had success with this model in the past, particularly with Chris Paul during their time together in Houston. Although the Sixers’ hopes ultimately rest on how well Embiid and Harden play together, maximizing their effectiveness will often mean one of them playing without the other. Rivers’s willingness to go that route early in the game is a positive sign for the rotation moving forward.