In what felt like the blink of an eye, we have reached the final stretch of the 2021-22 NBA regular season. Teams have about 10 or so games left to play before the postseason officially gets underway. For some contenders, they use this time as a rest period to get their key players fresh for the playoff push. One team that is still trying to make the most of these final games is the Philadelphia 76ers.
After a first half of the season filled with drama and off-the-court antics, things changed drastically for the Sixers at the trade deadline. Daryl Morey put an end to the Ben Simmons saga and acquired James Harden from the Brooklyn Nets. Pairing the All-Star alongside MVP frontrunner Joel Embiid shot Philly up the ranks of teams that can make a run at the NBA championship.
While the addition of Harden turned the Sixers into a legitimate contender, it also put them in a race against time. Coming out of the All-Star break, Doc Rivers had only 24 games to integrate the former MVP into the lineup. There have certainly been positives, but the expected growing pains have also been apparent.
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Before the Sixers' matchup with the Miami Heat on Monday night, Rivers touched on a key objective for the final weeks of the regular season. He's aware of how well his stars play together, but the times when only one star is on the floor have been up-and-down.
“It's not the rotation to me. It's more figuring out a way to play with one guy on the floor, meaning James [Harden] or Joel [Embiid] when one is off the floor. That to me is a bigger concern as far as our rhythm and how we play there. That, to me, is very important for us. I think Joel and James together has figured that out pretty well, but the separation of the two, one night it seems like the one group is doing well, then the next night is the other group. What we're really looking for is 48 consistent minutes of good play,” said Rivers.
Outside of the performance the supporting cast put on in a shorthanded effort against the Heat, it has been a weak area for the team as of late. There have been multiple instances of opposing second units going on big runs when the Sixers' starters begin to come off the floor.
In fact, the Sixers have outscored opponents by 16.9 points per 100 possessions in 295 minutes with Embiid and Harden on the court this season, according to NBA.com. But they've been crushed when Embiid is on and Harden is off, and things haven't been all that much better with Harden on and Embiid off. They've been decent enough when both are on the bench, though that's buoyed by the incredible win over Miami without them.
Ultimately, Rivers' assessment was spot on. If the Sixers are going to fulfill their championship aspirations, they will need consistent production from both units. Even with stars playing longer minutes in the playoffs, there will still be times when they are off the floor. If they cannot find ways to at least stay afloat in these moments, it will be tough to overcome some of the Eastern Conference's top teams.
Harden getting more comfortable with his new team is the solution to this problem. We saw it on full display last Friday when he took over in the fourth quarter in a win over the Dallas Mavericks. As we approach these final days of the regular season, this is one developing storyline to keep a close eye on.
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