For now there is not a reason for James Harden to be unhappy with the Philadelphia 76ers : everything is a bed of roses. The Beard’s team beat the New York Knicks 123-108 and the former Brooklyn Nets still haven’t lost in his new team , in which he is putting together a spectacular offensive trio with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.

Harden finished with 26 points, 9 rebounds and 9 assists in the victory against the New Yorkers and thus has an average of 27.3 points, 9 rebounds and 12.3 assists in his first three games in Philadelphia: he performs at the level expected by all , leaving behind the drowsiness with which he sometimes looked in a Brooklyn Nets in which he was no longer comfortable.

This Harden is going to be another Harden, one who seems happy , who receives love from a 76ers idol like Allen Iverson (who since 2006 was the last player to average at least 25 points and 10 assists in his first three games on one team, now Harden matched him).

The fans in Philly are the best in the world, you’ll see tonight, welcome home assassin ,” Iverson tweeted Harden before his home debut at the raucous Wells Fargo Center, which , with more than 21,000 viewers, for the first time enjoyed La Barba dressed in white, blue and red.

“It was like a movie, just like I expected it to be ,” Harden said of his first experience in the fourth different franchise he has to defend.

Embiid , who also shone against the Knicks with 27 points and 12 rebounds, commented on that climate : ” It was great, it felt like a Playoff atmosphere . The Philadelphia fans always achieve it ,” said the pivot who, with Harden as a teammate, records 32.6 points, 10.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists , numbers a little above his average for a season in which he is an MVP candidate .

The other who plays looser and better since the transfer by Harden is Tyrese Maxey : he performs in the minutes in which the MVP of the 2017-2018 season rests and also with him by his side, playing more without the ball. The 21-year-old guard signed a roster of 25 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists with 4-6 in triples against the Knicks and contributed 24.6 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.6 assists on average in the last three games, something spectacular to be a third offensive option.

We all fit together well. We have someone like James who comes in with his ability to score and pass the ball… he’s doing great , “ Embiid added at a news conference after the win over the Knicks.

The path of the Sixers will continue next Friday (6:00 p.m. in CDMX, 9:00 p.m. in Argentina, 1:00 a.m. on Saturday in Spain), receiving the Cleveland Cavaliers and perhaps with the possibility of jumping to the second step of the Eastern Conference.

 

The opinions expressed herein do not necessarily represent the NBA or its organizations.

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