James Harden getting more comfortable playing with Sixers’ Joel Embiid
With the hope that Joel Embiid and James Harden would work together to help the team win the title, the Philadelphia 76ers purchased Harden from the Philadelphia 76ers at the trade deadline in 2022.
After some bumps along the way, it seems the two have really nailed their offensive two-man game.
Only one point separates the Sixers’ victories in their first two road games. The Sixers’ execution on the offensive side has been impeccable, thanks mainly to Harden and Embiid playing in the pick-and roll.
“A lot more,” Harden told reporters of his chemistry with Embiid. “There’s opportunities where I felt like he had easy layups if he comes with me. Their big man was doing a really good job of just trying to bait me, so I get closer to the rim and he comes.”
After the victory over the Utah Jazz, Harden stated this. He wants Embiid be in a better spot.
“Joel had an opportunity for easy six or eight more points, but he just wasn’t in the vicinity,” Harden continued. “So just conversations that we talk about that. Hopefully, next game, and just game after that, we continue to get better but yeah, our chemistry is much, much better.”
Harden has had the privilege of playing with many elite players throughout his career. He’s played with Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Chris Paul and Kyrie Irving, but there isn’t a player like Embiid who can do it all with the size that he has.
“He’s just so dominant and versatile to where I’m sure he’s never played with a playmaker like me,” Harden continued. “It’s just constant communication to where he hasn’t probably rolled this much before, and I haven’t had a big that pops like that so it’s just constant communication to where if we see something play by play, we just talk about it, we try to execute, get a good shot, and just keep going.”
Communication between the stars is the only way to build chemistry. Both will be required to communicate and grow as a team.
“That just continues to build up and add up to where when you get to the postseason, we’ve literally seen everything so we know we’re on the same page,” Harden finished. “We know what to expect. We know what to do.”
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