Sixers’ biggest issues ahead of playoffs: Continuity
It’s hard to integrate a superstar mid-season and still win the championship. The Sixers are still figuring things out with Harden in the rotation, and while the results have been mostly positive so far (8-3 record with Harden in the lineup), it’s clear issues of continuity and connectivity are liable to flare up for this team. With only 12 games left in the regular season, the clock is ticking for Philadelphia to get everything in gear.
Going back to the last topic, Philadelphia’s defense has been all out of sorts lately. That’s not necessarily on Harden individually, but with multiple new pieces in new roles, the Sixers’ lack of strong communication and execution on that side of the ball is worrisome.
On the offensive end, Harden’s passing has unlocked entirely new dimensions for the Sixers’ offense. However, there’s also the flip side — Harden is frigid from the field right now and he has struggled to strike the right balance between him and Joel Embiid. Sunday’s loss to Toronto was an excellent example of the Sixers relying too heavily on Harden and the pick-and-roll, when the gameplan should have been centered more thoroughly around Embiid’s ability to draw pressure in the post.
Harden is not the most natural complement to Embiid’s game, and while there’s more than enough skill and talent to make it work, the Sixers have to be able to get Harden going without sacrificing Embiid’s standing atop the offensive hierarchy. The Sixers’ best path to victory most nights is to let Embiid cook, with Harden operating as a release valve and gobbling up defensive attention on the perimeter. It’s difficult to develop that kind of chemistry and dynamic in a month. Had the Sixers been able to workshop the Harden and Embiid pairing over the offseason, the ship would no doubt be sailing on much smoother water right now.
The Sixers have a lot going for them, but the general lack of time for Embiid and Harden to figure each other out is not ideal. Even without perfectly developed chemistry, teams will struggle to match the individual firepower of Embiid and Harden. They’re one of the best duos in the NBA right now. That said, we have seen the Sixers’ elite offense crumble multiple times over in multiple games now, and the Sixers’ elite offense is their one path to championship glory given their aforementioned defensive shortcomings.