The Philadelphia 76ers are in a position where they want to be sure that Joel Embiid and James Harden are 100% for the upcoming postseason where they will be in contention to win a championship and come out of the Eastern Conference. It’s why the team has a game plan to rest those guys in preparation for the playoffs.
They both have been dealing with a variety of injuries as of late with Embiid being questionable for Wednesday’s matchup with the Cleveland Cavaliers due to back soreness and Harden has been dealing with a hamstring issue.
They both were able to play and make a big impact in a 118-114 win over the Cavs, but the question always is how they are feeling after games.
“I feel great,” said Embiid after scoring 35 points on 13-for-19 shooting in 34 minutes. “Obviously, the fall happened last night, but it’s whatever. It’s the NBA season. None of us is feeling good at this point. So you just gotta keep pushing. We got a tough schedule ahead. So it’s all about getting better every single day.”
Harden has been dealing with a hamstring issue dating back to his time with the Brooklyn Nets before the trade to Philadelphia. He has missed some time with the Sixers due to the injury and it’s fair to wonder how he is feeling after playing 42 minutes in the win.
“I got a little couple of whatever whatevers, but it’s a long season,” said Harden after scoring 21 points with 11 assists. “You just got to push through it, be mentally strong and find ways to come away with a win. Playing 42 minutes tonight, I’m happy we won.”
This post originally appeared on Sixers Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
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