Joel Embiid on James Harden’s return after recovering from a foot strain: “He’s such a good playmaker…You’ve got to put the ball in his hands”
The Philadelphia 76ers are managing their season through major injuries to their best players. James Harden has been out with a foot injury since November 3. The star guard is due to return to the lineup on Monday, December 5. This is good news for Sixers fans and his teammates.
The team has found its groove without Harden and has a record of 8-5 in his absence. They have an overall record of 12-10 on the season. Sixers star Joel Embiid shared some of his thoughts on Harden's return and how the team was playing when he spoke to the Philadelphia Inquirer's Keith Pomeroy.
The team has been playing better defense without James Harden. The team currently has the second-best scoring defense in the league behind the Cleveland Cavaliers.
“We are not switching ... Obviously, we have a system in place. I think at the beginning of the year, the mistake we made was we tried to go one through five [switches] a lot,” Joel Embiid said.
James Harden’s biggest impact was on the offensive end of the floor. Harden is a ball-dominant guard, and the offense usually flows through him on teams that he plays with. The star center shared his view of the offense.
“Like I always say, obviously, what people don’t understand is when anybody’s hurt, new opportunities open up for everyone else,” - Embiid
“Everybody else gets to take more shots. … But when you’ve got someone like him, he’s such a good playmaker, you’ve got to put the ball in his hands." - Embiid
Joel Embiid on James Harden: “When anybody’s hurt, new opportunities open up for everyone else … But when you’ve got someone like him, he’s such a good playmaker, you’ve got to put the ball in his hands.
"So I think it’s all about managing it.” inquirer.com/sixers/joel-em…
James Harden is scheduled to return against his old team, the Houston Rockets. The Sixers could use his help with Tyrese Maxey still out with a foot injury.
Are the Sixers championship-ready?
The Philadelphia 76ers made some key offseason moves to bolster a roster that can compete for an NBA title. Adding PJ Tucker and Montrezl Harrell was meant to add some toughness and depth to their roster. The team has two stars Joel Embiid and James Harden and an emerging player in Tyrese Maxey.
The team has been forced to play without Maxey, Embiid, and Harden this season due to injuries. This has provided an opportunity for a player like Shake Milton to emerge and show he can contribute in tight situations.
The team has 60 games left in the season, and if coach Doc Rivers can figure it out, his team may be able to take that next step to compete with the Boston Celtics and the Milwaukee Bucks for the Eastern Conference title.