Nuggets coach Michael Malone provides respect to Joel Embiid, James Harden
PHILADELPHIA–The Philadelphia 76ers have two of the highest gamers within the league within the type of Joel Embiid and James Harden. The 2 of them simply have this skill to dominate the sport within the pick-and-roll resulting from Harden’s elite playmaking and Embiid’s ruthless scoring.
In Saturday’s 126-119 win over the Denver Nuggets, Embiid had 47 factors and 18 rebounds to steer the Sixers to the win whereas Harden had 17 factors and 13 assists. The 2 of them proceed to be a dominant pairing and it’s why the Sixers are thought of a reputable contender within the Jap Convention.
Earlier than the competition, Nuggets coach Michael Malone gushed in regards to the Embiid and Harden duo and the way robust it’s to cease each gamers.
“Joel, all of us perceive the issues that he presents on a given night time,” Malone began. “His skill to dominate along with his scoring, his rebounding, his playmaking, and the totally different ways in which he can rating and you must give James Harden quite a lot of credit score. All through your profession, possibly your position modifications, and what it’s good to do to assist your workforce win at a excessive stage could change, however we nonetheless perceive what James is able to.”
When one remembers Harden’s profession, they’ll bear in mind him largely for being one of many elite scorers the sport has ever seen. Nonetheless, he had adjusted his recreation with a purpose to make issues work with Embiid and benefit from the expertise surrounding him and the massive fella.
“When you take a look at the final 10 years within the league, James kinda revolutionized the sport,” Malone added. “The scoring, the shot-making, the flexibility to attract fouls, and get to the foul line, so once you couple two guys like that collectively, clearly, that’s quite a lot of capturing that Phily has, and having two nice gamers that may rating at will it appears and also you encompass them with some actually able to position kind gamers, and you’ve got an opportunity to do one thing particular.”
Because the Sixers transfer ahead, they must benefit from these two elite abilities on the roster. These two give them an opportunity to beat any workforce within the league within the playoffs.
“It’s a problem guarding Joel,” Malone added. “Not one participant can guard him one-on-one. It’s a workforce effort and you’ll say the identical factor about guarding James Harden.”
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