The Biggest Trends Of The Start of The Harden Embiid Era
Here in this piece, I’ll do my best to sift through the haze and figure out what we can realistically take away from these first two games.
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The James Harden-Joel Embiid partnership could not possibly have gotten off to a better start. The team is 2-0, the offense looks unstoppable, the role players are falling into place, and everybody loves each other. As we bask in the glory of the honeymoon phase, it can be hard to know what’s real and what’s fake. So, here in this piece, I’ll do my best to sift through the haze and figure out what we can realistically take away from these first two games.
Harden and Embiid’s pick and roll chemistry
This was perhaps the most discussed topic in regards to how the two star players would fit together after the trade – Harden thrives with elite roll men, and Embiid doesn’t like to roll. I shared that concern coming in, but it took me less than two games to think that my concerns were vastly overblown.
I think the thing I underestimated the most was that both players are absolute masters from 7-8 feet and in. Harden’s feel and timing for when to drop a dime on Embiid versus when to call his own number is as good as it gets, and Embiid’s ability to finish or draw fouls when given a small advantage in that area is superb.
Can Embiid sneak behind big men and catch lobs from 15 feet in the air? No. Can he use his touch, footwork, and foul drawing ability to tortue big men trying to tread water? Yes, absolutely.
Really nice pick-and-roll connection from James Harden and Joel Embiid here.
Harden drives, pulls over Robinson, and waits until just the right moment to set up Embiid for the finish. pic.twitter.com/UdBoEa2dxs— Tom West (@TomWestNBA) February 27, 2022
Harden has had plenty of lob catchers, but he hasn’t had many big men with pure skill. Being the maestro that he is, he will find ways to make use of Embiid in ways beyond alley-oops. They will develop chemistry on pocket passes that allow Embiid to attack downhill, or use as a precursor to great post-up position.
Beyond their two-man game, I think that the sheer balance of touches has gone smoothly, as well. Harden has been able to make an impact off the ball with Embiid’s post-ups, and has not over-indulged in 1-4 flat isolations. He’s buying in, and all things considered, I think that the early returns on this partnership are excellent.
Tyrese Maxey excelling as the third option
If anyone had fears that Tyrese Maxey would become obsolete with the addition of Harden, those fears should be much less intense after these two games. Maxey has not only remained an integral part of the offense, but has also looked extremely effective in an off-ball role while Harden runs the show.
The attention that Harden will lead to tiny openings for Maxey, and he is a master at capitalizing on them – while he’s not the type of catch and shoot threat that you’d be terrified of leaving open, you should indeed be terrified of giving him space, because he is so adept at beating close-outs and making his way into the lane.
This was my favorite play of the night. All 5 T’Wolves standing watching Harden, flat-footed. He whips it to Maxey whose first step is like he’s shot out of a damn cannon. This 5 is gonna be so hard to stop. pic.twitter.com/MY9PcWG4pK
— Jeff McDevitt (@JeffMcDev) February 26, 2022
Another area where Maxey will continue to be unleashed is in transition. After previously having been the only capable ball handler on the team, he was often tasked with handling the ball and orchestrating things in the open court. But now, having Harden to grab-and-go, Maxey can explode out of a cannon without the ball and beat opposing defenses down the floor:
Hoooooooooo boy James Harden and Tyrese Maxey in transition is dangerous 🤩🤩🤩 pic.twitter.com/KPMW6ZJ5kH
— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) February 26, 2022
Maxey is just an extremely optimal fit next to these two superstars – he can fill in any gaps in shot creation that may have existed, and he’s also a great cog in the half court offense to capitalize on the advantages that the others create.
Tobias Harris feeling useless
Unfortunately, Tobias Harris has stood out in stark contrast to Maxey as someone who has felt unnecessary and somewhat clunky next to these three main guys.
Take this with a caveat, as I’ve long been the leader of the anti-Tobias brigade, but I just don’t see how he adds much value to this team any longer. His best skill is shot creation, and the Sixers no longer have much need for that skill; there are simply better options on the floor at all times. He has always been a highly reluctant 3-point shooter – he is second-last among rotation players (ahead of only Matisse Thybulle) in 3-point attempts per 100 possessions – and his ability to attack close-outs and make decisions on the fly is extremely underwhelming. There is absolutely nothing more frustrating than watching the ball zip around the floor, only for it to wind up in Harris’ hands with a small opening, as he pump fakes and dribbles into a back-down post-up from 17 feet. No other player on this roster makes as much of a habit out of sucking the life out of the offense.
Harris’ ultimate utility is going to come down completely to his willingness to improve at these types of off-ball, role player type things. He will always have value – it is useful having a player that skilled at the four – but there are far too many times where he becomes a black hole. If he’s not accentuating the offensive flow as an off-ball player, and they no longer need him to play on the ball, one wonders if the Sixers would ever consider cutting his minutes in favor of the far more decisive Georges Niang.