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James Harden speaks up about his poor shooting performance after taking 4 for 17 shots
After his team’s defeat on Friday, Philadelphia 76ers coach Doc Rivers emphasized the fact that his team performs significantly better with Joel Embiid in the matchday squad. With Embiid missing his second straight game due to a painful left foot, the Sixers’ 11-game home winning run was disrupted. On Friday, James Harden had trouble scoring, shooting 4-for-17 from the field.
Harden stated, “It was a tough night…I feel like there was a lid on the rim. I mean, that’s just part of it. Just chalk it up. Keep pushing.”
Rivers described Embiid, “You miss him all over the floor. But, honestly, I don’t worry about it because he wasn’t in the game. Obviously, with Joel, we are a different team. But we don’t have him. So we have to find a way to win that game (Friday) without guys.”
In this campaign, Embiid has missed 10 games because of various medical problems. On Sunday, the Sixers will be hoping that he won’t increase that total. Without Embiid, Philadelphia has a 6-4 record thus far this year.
Prior to Friday, Philadelphia had won three games in a row and 11 of its previous 13 games. Tyrese Maxey, the guard, looks to be getting into shape, which is a huge plus. In his fourth game back after suffering a fractured left foot, Maxey scored a team-high 26 points.
A home-and-home series begins with the game on Sunday. On Tuesday, the Sixers will be hosting the Pistons. On December 21, Philadelphia easily won 113-93 in their first match of the year. The Pistons’ shooting percentage was restricted to 39.2 percent as Embiid led the team with 22 points.