James Harden who? That will certainly be the war cry of the Philadelphia 76ers this point forward, especially when they've been exceptional to begin the year even after losing the services of the 10-time All-Star. Thanks to continued dominance from reigning league MVP Joel Embiid, the Sixers have been humming on both ends of the court, most recently taking home a 106-103 win over archnemesis Boston Celtics to win their sixth game in a row.

On Wednesday night, Embiid, as he usually does, was the one who led the way for the Sixers, dropping 27 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists, being a pain to defend for the Celtics. And in doing so, the 29-year old center reached a historic benchmark in franchise history that no one has touched in over 50 years.

After his performance against the Celtics, Joel Embiid is now averaging 31.7 points and 10.9 rebounds on the season, becoming only the second player in Sixers history to average 30+ points and 10+ rebounds through the first seven games of the season, joining Wilt Chamberlain in this historic club. Chamberlain, during the 1965-66 season, averaged 32 points and 23.9 rebounds to begin his first full season as a member of the franchise.

Embiid and company haven't felt James Harden's departure at all, and the reigning MVP's continued elite play on both ends of the court has been the main reason as to why. The Sixers star has looked very motivated to lead his team, showing up for his team in all of their games thus far by scoring 24 points or more and tallying at least one block per game to start the year.

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76ers Joel Embiid on the bench from game one or game two of playoff series vs. New York Knicks with Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart smiling or laughing.

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76ers' Joel Embiid in front of a picture of Embiid at the postgame podium in sunglasses

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Tom Thibodeau in New York Knicks coaching uniform

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And now, the Sixers remain in a good position as any to compete, even in a loaded Eastern Conference. In addition to Joel Embiid's MVP-level production, the Sixers have received a legitimate breakout from Tyrese Maxey, while Tobias Harris and Kelly Oubre Jr. have been steady hands for the team on the wings. Moreover, Nicolas Batum has looked ready to contribute at a high level as well.

With a game against the Detroit Pistons on the docket, expect Embiid and the Sixers to continue their roll to begin the campaign.