PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia 76ers are hitching their title hopes to stars Joel Embiid and James Harden for good reason. The two have been an elite duo all season. Their chemistry allows them to play off each other very well.
The Miami Heat saw the duo up close in the 2022 Eastern Conference semifinals, albeit both teams were hobbled with injuries. The Heat ousted the Sixers in six games.
After having a full training camp and a full season under their belt, Embiid and Harden look to take the Sixers to new heights. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra can see the duo taking the next step.
“More continuity, more time together,” Spoelstra said of the duo. “People think you can put together teams and it’s automatically going to work. You have to take time and work through a lot of different things that a long NBA season can provide you.”
Spoelstra knows a thing or two about how important continuity is for a team. He has coached superstars Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Chris Bosh, Jimmy Butler and others. It doesn’t happen overnight. It always takes time.
As the Sixers prepare for the 2023 playoffs, they will need Embiid and Harden to be at their very best to reach the mountaintop in this very talented league.
[lawrence-related id=78111,78096,78092]