After a first game Friday night away in Minnesota, we expected a second try this Sunday in New York. Joel Embiid and James Harden, what does it look like at the Knicks at the start of the day? Well that gives a masterclass of the duo, and a solid victory for the Sixers at Spike Lee (125-109).
Have they been playing together for 3 days, or for 3 years?
This is the question that many observers asked themselves this Sunday, seeing the two leaders of Philadelphia perform a little recital without really looking at each other, in New York. The match was eagerly awaited, by Knicks fans to begin with, but also by Sixers fans who had made the trip. Songs of MVP for Joel on throws, loud applause on the counterattack, one wondered if Doc Rivers’ men were playing home or away tonight. What is certain is that home or no home, Embiid started the game like every game this season, with the will to harm and send his opposing pivot to oblivion. Nightmarish evening for Mitchell Robinson (6 fouls in 17 minutes), forced to lay down his arms against one of the most dominant players on the planet today. Throw after throw, Joel was gorging himself at the start of the game and Harden went in his direction by adding… throws, but also distribution for his comrades. Hence this feeling of perfect synchronization between the two men, especially on a and one first half which sees the duo celebrate the action with a little dance. We can’t believe it won’t work, the question is how far it will work, and how will the friends play around. Tobias Harris, struggling, tried to contribute in other aspects of the game but struggled. The bench, damn limited, tried to do its best but without real impact. Only Tyrese Maxey, once again brilliant (21 points), seemed to find his place with Matisse Thybulle (8-6-2-3), which allows the 5 major of the Sixers to be simply lethal.
However, it’s not as if the Knicks opposite were giving up. Thanks to Jericho Sims’ fine defensive entry, Evan Fournier’s arrows and Immanuel Quickley’s hot kick, New York was never dropped in the game. It was even these Knicks, led by the ardor of IQ, who took the lead in the second half. By adding the points scored with difficulty by RJ Barrett and the contributions of other teammates, NYC could believe it. Unfortunately no. In a feast of free throws (27 attempted by Embiid, 44 attempted by the Sixers, 79 for both teams in the game), Joel and Harden knew exactly where to press and when to press so it hurt. The bearded man, in full possession of his physical means, made his defenders dance and went about his protocols step back, when it was not to offer one of its 16 caviars to a distinguished teammate. The pivot, simply indefensible, returned each defender to the bench with 6 fouls and countered the opposing lay-ups, when it was not a new good pass for a friend on his own. There was something ultra-dominant and complementary in this performance by the star duo of the Sixers, who – as said in the preamble – do not give the impression of playing together for only a few days. We’ll have a lot to say about Doc Rivers’ rotation choices, especially when a big big challenger from the top of the Eastern Conference shows up against the Sixers, but we’ve said it and we’ll say it again: great debut c is important, and at the moment difficult to ask for better in Pennsylvania. That’s good, Rocky’s land will welcome its new rear in a probable standing ovation in a few days, Wednesday evening to face… the Knicks, this time at home. No doubt the crowd will be boiling hot and the pair will want to feast at home, which would allow Philadelphia to continue to put pressure on the East top.
29 points, 10 rebounds, 16 assists and 5 steals for James Harden, 37 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists and 4 blocks for Joel Embiid, this duo is indeed capable of scaring, cohabiting, excelling and harming the opposition any night. The two men get along well, Thybulle and Maxey know their role around, now we want the rest. Again and again, to prepare for the Playoffs that we are waiting for with excessive impatience.
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