The James Harden trade by the Philadelphia 76ers will after all bear fruit. The Beard was acquired by the 76ers in a blockbuster trade involving the Brooklyn Nets in February of 2022. The exchange saw Ben Simmons make his way to the Nets, along with other commodities.
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What was initially presumed to be his lack of fitness for his substandard displays, was merely time to adapt to the different changes. The Beard has regained rhythm, fluidity, and his flair back to have a career resurgence like a few have showcased before.
Harden’s arrival, albeit a tad bit disappointing at first, given their unsuccessful playoff performances, has as predicted, is starting to yield success for the former NBA MVP and the franchise as well.
The ten-time all-star is on course to create history with the 76ers alongside protagonist Joel Embiid.
James Harden and Joel Embiid are set to distinguish themselves from their NBA colleagues!
Joel Embiid is on track to clinch his second successive scoring title. The MVP frontrunner is currently averaging a league-high 33.1 points per game, just edging Luka Doncic at 32.8 points per game, who sits beneath the 76ers Center.
James Harden on the other hand is blossoming in his role as the engine of the team, running the offense and dishing dimes. The Beard is en route to capturing his second assist title, unofficially recording 11.1 assists per game. The shooting guard picked his first assist title with the Houston Rockets in 2017.
The pair have synergized and have begun to wreak havoc in the NBA. If the duo is able to pace themselves, on their current form they are on the path to breaking a 41-year-old record.
Harden and Embiid are set to be the first pair of teammates since George Gervin and Johny Moore with the San Antonio Spurs in 1982, to lead the league in scoring and assisting.
A phenomenal achievement provided they pull it off. Speaking about their enhanced cohesion over recent games which has contributed to an eight-game win streak, Embiid stated:
“We just know how to play, we just know what to do. I think the biggest thing that we’ve gotten better at is the timing. He’s such a good playmaker that he just finds me and sees the plays that not everyone else might see. So I think the timing has been great and just playing off of each other and [if] we see something that works, we keep coming back to it.”
Seldom has the league come across a talent as polished as James Harden.
Harden’s ability to be a prolific scorer during the formative years of his career and then to burden the responsibility of running the point, exceptionally well towards the latter years of his tenure in the league is unprecedented.
Can Harden and Embiid make the Sixers NBA champions?
Although it’s premature, given that the season is merely underway, the Philadelphia 76ers are in a unique spot in a talent-packed Eastern Conference.
The Philadelphia 76ers have an exhilarating roster to contend toe to toe with any of the top franchises in the postseason. The complementary pieces of Tyrese Maxey and Tobias Harris will be relied upon to extend their gap to the opponents during the playoff fixtures.
Nonetheless, with James Harden and Joel Embiid currently performing at an elite level in terms of productivity, the franchise is the underdogs to watch out for come playoff time.
