It comes as no surprise that the Philadelphia 76ers suffered a 116-111 defeat at the hands of Nikola Jokic and the mighty Denver Nuggets on Monday night. This is after both Joel Embiid and James Harden were unable to suit up in what was supposed to be a marquee matchup. Harden was actually a late scratch in this one due to a nagging Achilles injury, but it has now been revealed that the former league MVP is closing in on his return.
ESPN's NBA guru Adrian Wojnarowski reports that Harden could return to the lineup sometime this week. According to Woj, Harden is targeting a return to action either on Wednesday against the Dallas Mavericks or on Friday against the Toronto Raptors. The Sixers are coming off a four-game road trip, and the 10-time All-Star ended up missing all of them. Woj says that a return in one of Philly's next two home games is plausible for Harden.
The Sixers have gone 1-3 in the four games without James in the mix, so it is clear that they need him back on the court. Embiid is currently dealing with tightness in his right calf, and he too could be in danger of missing time, which further highlights the need for Harden to return as soon as possible.
Be that as it may, the Sixers won't be rushing either of their stars back. They've already clinched a playoff spot in the East, and while they are still vying for positioning in the Top 4, it wouldn't be a complete shock if both Harden and Embiid end up sitting out a few games between them the rest of the way.
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