The Philadelphia 76ers just gave us all another glimpse of what they can do. They came back to get a 15-point win over the New York Knicks, once again with James Harden and Joel Embiid leading the way.
And, even though the Knicks aren't the best team to measure the potential of a team, the fact that they've developed this kind of chemistry just three games into their pairing speaks volumes of what they're capable of.
Once again, fans on social media hyped the Embiid-Harden duo by comparing them to Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant. However, the Sixers' big man isn't quite fond of those comparisons.
NBA News: Joel Embiid Says He And James Harden Aren't Like Shaq And Kobe
“I’m Joel Embiid. I don’t play the way Shaq did, you know, dominant in other ways. I’m not physically dominant like he was," Embiid said after the game. "You know, he was a freakin monster when he played… obviously Hall of Famer and one of the best ever. But I’m Joel Embiid… I dominate in other ways on the basketball floor as far as doing everything. James does the same thing as far as being a scorer and a playmaker.”
Doc Rivers Says There's Too Much Hype About Harden And Embiid
Sixers coach Doc Rivers knows that his team's chances of winning an NBA championship have increased drastically. However, he thinks people are just reading too much and too early into their new look:
“I do the same job, the same work. It’s just that more people notice (now)," Rivers said. "I think when you get a guy like James and Joel together with what we have, with all of our other guys, our guys sense it, too. Not the hoopla, though. It’s that they have a real shot. You don’t get many of these.”
Daryl Morey didn't trade for James Harden just because they're close friends. The Sixers are striving for a ring and his presence gives them the best shot they've had in years. So, even if it's still too early to tell, it's clear that it's championship-or-bust for them.
