The Philadelphia 76ers ushered in the James Harden era on Friday with a 133-102 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on the road. The Beard had himself a big night going for 27 points on 7-for-12 shooting and he knocked down five triples along with 12 assists and eight rebounds.
Harden has been the guy president Daryl Morey wanted in Philadelphia all along and he was finally able to bring him in with a deadline deal that sent Ben Simmons to the Brooklyn Nets. He understands how good Harden can be from their time together with the Houston Rockets and he was happy to see it come to fruition on Friday.
Morey talked to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne after the game and he praised Harden for his performance:
“James is a basketball genius,” Morey said. “And he’s been wanting to play with Joel (Embiid) for a long time. I think he’s always thought Joel was, like, the perfect guy to pair with him.”
“I think it’s like anyone with a new group,” Morey said. “You realize you’re the new guy. You want to fit in and then show what you can do. Everyone has watched James play for many years and knows what he’s capable of.
“When you’re getting to know new teammates, I think those early interactions help. Early play on the court really helps.”
Harden has had a reputation as somebody who is a bad teammate, which he denied after the game, but this was a great start to the Philadelphia era for him. Morey understands how talented The Beard is and now, he is just waiting for it all to come together before the playoffs begin.
This post originally appeared on Sixers Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
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