It was a statement win for the Sixers, one that invigorated the team and its fanbase. And the dialogue afterwards on NBA on TNT intimated at even more excitement to come.
Moments after an exciting 123-120 Sixers win over the Bucks in Milwaukee, the studio crew discussed a big road win, and what the dynamic could — perhaps should — look like once future Hall of Famer James Harden joins ranks with Joel Embiid and company.
Shaquille O’Neal shared his thoughts, comparing the Sixers’ potential dynamic duo with himself and another Hall of Famer, Kobe Bryant.
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“James has to realize, ‘This is Embiid’s team, let me get the big fella the ball first. The best player in the world, I got to get you going. I can get myself going anytime, I’m James Harden, but I got to make sure you get going. Before I got here, you were averaging 28, 30, I got to make sure you get yours. I’m going to get you going, and then whenever you go out, whenever you get tired, I can get mine.’”
“That was the conversation me and Kobe had: get me going first, and then in the third or fourth quarter, you can take it over. But, James has to get it to the big guy late. You can’t just come down jacking up threes, and Joel Embiid not touch the ball. If they do that, it will work.”
Sage wisdom from the Big Aristotle. Sure, the game was different 20 years ago when Shaq and Kobe ran things in the NBA. Different in some ways, but in this case, similar enough that the Diesel fires off a solid point.
While Harden can be as prolific a scorer as there is in the NBA today, he’s also going to be the chief ball handler when he’s in the game, and with that comes a responsibility to make sure his fellow All-Star gets off early in games.
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Charles Barkley, however, doesn’t think the Embiid-Harden marriage will gel from day one.
“I think it’s going to be really complicated…They’re going to have to find a way. This notion that ‘It’s just going to work,” it’s not just going to work, because… one of ‘em ain’t going to have the ball. There’s only one ball out there.”
“The other one’s going to have to find a way like – it’s going to be harder on James. Because Embiid can play defense and rebound. James is a guy, he’s going to score, he’s going to get some assists. But this notion that this thing is going to be smooth? Not true at all.”
A couple of Hall of Famers going point-counter point, talking about a couple of Hall of Famers. All this does is make Sixers fans salivate for what’s to come when The Beard and The Process form the greatest alliance in the NBA in the days to come.