The Philadelphia-Philadelphia 76ers returned home on Wednesday in anticipation of James Harden's home debut. The Beard had already played two road games for Philadelphia, but the Wells Fargo Center awaited them as the team hosted the New York Knicks.
The Sixers got off to a slow start - trailing 16 - but they kept up with it and were able to rally for their second win over New York in a 123-108 win over the Knicks in as many games. Joel Embiid had another big night with 27 points and 12 rebounds and Harden had 26, nine assists and nine rebounds.
Tyrese Maxi had 25 points, Tobias Harris added 14 and seven rebounds, Matisse Thiboul added 10 and three blocks, and Shek Milton and Georges Niang jumped off the bench and had six points each.
It's a very good sign for the Sixers that Maxi is continuing to take advantage of being out and running. Whenever he got a chance, he would get out and he would be able to pick up some easy hoops for himself. At the halfcourt, he did a good job of being able to move forward without a basketball and finding open positions. His basketball IQ has quickly been impressive next to Harden's. His constant aggression in paint is another big sign.
James Harden: A+
It was a rough start for everyone involved, but for Harden in particular, it looked like he was under a bit of pressure early in his home debut. He was finally able to get his first bucket into the basket at And-1 and it allowed him and the team to calm down a bit. Then he knocked out his patented step-back triple and the Sixers found their flow on the offense. The way Harden can control the game is extremely impressive as he plays within himself and the team continues to follow his lead on the floor. It has been an impressive start though against a few lesser teams.
Matisse Thiboul: A-
Thiboul continues to have problems dropping spot-up triples, but when he is able to pick up the dribble and collect himself, he seems to have found the rhythm and is able to drop the shot. He was really the only sixer who played well on the defensive end on the periphery. Everyone seemed to struggle a bit, at least until the second half where Philadelphia made it to the defensive end of the floor. He also knocked out a second 3-pointer which is a huge help.
Tobias Harris :c
There was a good sign for Harris in this as he was knocking down a spot-up 3-pointer from a pass from Harden. This is always a good sign when it comes to his overall game. When he drops those looks, it changes everything for him. He made a huge game to end the first half as he went from coast to coast in the basket on the buzzer. This gave Philadelphia some momentum going into halftime and getting themselves in a good groove. He went into the fourth quarter again as he did on Sunday, however, which is a good sign for Philadelphia.
Joel Embiid: A
The elder brother did what elders do. Once again, the Knicks could not defend him as Mitchell Robinson and Jericho Sims both committed two fouls each in the first quarter. There were moments where Embiid looked a little disappointed from the caretaker and he had some bad moments on defense where Robinson was able to get some offensive rebounds, but it was still another good Embiid game.
Shaq Milton: B+
For the second straight game, Milton was not bad in his opening stint. She had a hard finish in the basket, then made a steal that went to the other side for an easy finish. At this point, it may be time to give him Korkamaz's minutes which happened after halftime. The only bad thing was that he continued to struggle deeply.
Georges Niang :B
The issue with Niang remains on the defensive side. They make a lot of effort, but they have to hide at that end. For the second straight game, Julius Randall would go to work whenever he was matched. He did some triple knockouts in the second half, which helps keep him on the floor.
Danny Green: B-
It is clear that Green has lost a step on the defensive end. Several times he posed with RJ Barrett and was carried to the basket very easily. On offense, he downed a corner triple that kept New York upright and was able to knock down Embiid's pass from one pass to the other. He needs to find consistent strokes on his 3-point shot to help get this team to the floor.
Paul Milsap: C-
The Sixers were supposed to give Willie Coley-Stein an extended look in this, but he continued to go into the millsap which isn't a terrible thing, but he had a tough time against the young, athletic big men for the Knicks.
Furkan Korkamaz: F
Turkey's fifth year guard had given himself a tough start as he was greatly blessed by the home crowd. He missed a layoff, got a trade, and then missed an open triple, while still having issues with the defense. At some point, Korkamaz will have to rethink it in terms of his shot. He did not play after halftime until there were 27.4 seconds left in the game and it was already in hand.