CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) 鈥� James Harden and Joel Embiid are beefing over who has been the most unbeatable Sixer during 1-on-1 competition at training camp. The smack talk escalated this week after a recent practice, each one badgering the other over who really is the alpha dog in Philly.
Who鈥檚 the better scorer? Rebounder? Nah, the thorny topic in this instance, gaming.
Harden tells Embiid he can beat him in FIFA.
鈥淥f course,鈥� Harden said.
鈥淗e said 鈥極F COURSE,鈥欌�� Embiid said, unable to stifle his laughter.
鈥淗ow many games we play?鈥� Embiid said. 鈥淔ive games?鈥�
鈥淚 don鈥檛 remember,鈥� Harden retorted. 鈥淚 haven鈥檛 played in four years. I used to be really, really good.鈥�
So The Beard pokes reporters to quiz Embiid about his skills in Madden. Embiid insisted he doesn鈥檛 play the football video game on a regular basis, but conceded of Harden, 鈥渉e鈥檚 good.鈥�
鈥淏ut give me two weeks,鈥� Embiid said, 鈥淚鈥檒l be the best.鈥�
once the controllers go down and the basketball is tossed up. The question that looms over the Sixers is can they get the two to mesh in their first full season together so they can contend for a title -- especially when Harden has to defer to last season's MVP runner-up?
No longer needed to average 30-plus points a game as he did when he starred as one of the NBA鈥檚 great isolation scorers, Harden is now the No. 2 in the Philadelphia's 1-2 punch. Embiid is the reigning NBA scoring champion and the face of the franchise.
The 33-year-old Harden, , is trying to prove he鈥檚 recovered from lingering tightness in his left hamstring last season that decimated his explosiveness and forced him into 鈥渢ough times, lot of dark moments.鈥� He took less money to return to the Sixers and dropped some weight over the summer. He's in better condition and serving as a mentor of sorts to blossoming talent, like Tyrese Maxey.
鈥淵ou鈥檝e got to be a leader,鈥� 76ers coach Doc Rivers expressed to Harden after Thursday鈥檚 practice. 鈥淕et them to do it right.鈥�
Rivers told Harden he needs to act as a facilitator, and 鈥渂e the aggressive James鈥� like he was at the end of practice.
鈥淚t鈥檚 going to come. It鈥檚 going to take a while," Rivers told the veteran. "But when it clicks, James, we鈥檙e going to be unbeatable. Unbeatable. But you鈥檝e got to keep your spirit up.鈥�
Spirits up, even with the .
鈥淵ou鈥檝e been the President,鈥� Rivers said.
鈥淚 ain鈥檛 the President no more,鈥� Harden replied.
Hey, VP isn鈥檛 so bad. And given Embiid鈥檚 injury history, Harden just might have to rise again to the elite level he reached in eight-plus years with the Houston Rockets, where he was a three-time scoring champion and league assists leader. The seven-time All-NBA player was also named last year a member of the league鈥檚 75th anniversary team. But his reputation was smudged when he in large part orchestrated trades out of Houston and Brooklyn over a 14-month span that eventually parked him in Philly at last year鈥檚 trade deadline.
The Nets had acquired Harden from the Rockets in a January 2021 trade, with the idea that he would form a Big 3 with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. The expected title never materialized and the Nets gave up on a disgruntled Harden for Philly鈥檚 own disgruntled Ben Simmons.
Harden has mostly kept quiet on his previous two trade demands.
鈥淔or the most part, I鈥檓 to myself,鈥� Harden said. 鈥淢edia, whoever, they talk and say their little jabs or shots at me and I never respond because I know who I am and what I鈥檓 about.鈥�
Harden averaged 21 points in 21 games with the Sixers. It was the postseason that struck reasonable doubt that all the NBA miles on his body might taken a toll.
The fake beards fans wore when the Sixers acquired Harden and crazed excitement stirred by his arrival dimmed in the postseason. Harden had four turnovers, four baskets and did not score in the second half in a to Miami. He scored just 14 points in a at Miami. Harden said several issues that kept him from his full potential in Philadelphia were resolved this summer over meaningful conversations with Rivers and Embiid.
鈥淚 think me learning them, and vice versa, them learning me and who I am and what I鈥檓 about, this summer was really good for that,鈥� Harden said.
In Harden鈥檚 2017-18 MVP season, he joined Michael Jordan as the only players to average at least 20 points, eight assists, five rebounds and 1.7 steals in a season. He led the league in scoring, 3-pointers and 50-point games with four and led the Rockets to an NBA-best 65 wins.
鈥淚f you start judging him, well he averaged 30 at Houston, but he only averaged 20 here, that鈥檚 insane,鈥� Rivers said. 鈥淲e have a lot of guys that can score. At Houston, he had to score. All the time. Here, the No. 1 option is Joel. James has never been the second option.鈥�
At least not since his early years in Oklahoma City. If he adapts in Philly, it could go long a way toward bringing the Sixers their first championship since 1983.
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Dan Gelston, The Associated Press
