James Harden and the 76ers watched loads of their dangerous performs on movie throughout current practices. The clips magnified the outcomes on the court docket.
“I felt like we had been 0-82,” Harden mentioned.
They don’t have to fret about that now.
Harden had 29 factors and 11 assists, and Joel Embiid scored 26 factors to steer the Philadelphia 76ers to their first win of the season, 120-106 over the Indiana Pacers on Monday evening.
The Sixers began 0-3, dropping the primary two video games to Japanese Convention contenders Boston and Milwaukee. Embiid dropped 40 factors in a loss to San Antonio because the Sixers nonetheless joined Orlando as the one East groups at 0-3.
“We’ve received to proceed to work, proceed to construct actually good habits and stay with the outcomes,” Harden mentioned.
Harden made 10 of 18 pictures from the ground and hit two straight 3s within the fourth that pushed the result in 109-95.
“I’m making an attempt to create the most effective shot obtainable,” Harden mentioned.
The Sixers put the smack down on the Pacers from the leap and just a little little bit of one thing from everybody to cruise into the win column. The Sixers had six gamers every hit one 3-pointer within the first quarter. They made 12 of twenty-two pictures within the second and raced to a 19-point lead. Harden and Tobias Harris mixed for 9 of Philadelphia’s 19 3-pointers.
“Now we have a group that may shoot 3s, proper? if you happen to’re open, shoot them,” Rivers mentioned.
Harris hit 4 3s and scored 18 factors.
“Folks don’t speak about Tobias Harris sufficient,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle mentioned. “He’s an incredible participant.”
Tyrese Haliburton led the Pacers with 19 factors and 10 assists. Buddy Hield had 18 factors.
The excellent news for Philly, the Sixers didn’t want a lot out of Embiid. The reigning NBA scoring champion, Embiid mentioned over the weekend his offseason had been slowed by a battle of plantar fasciitis (ache beneath the heel and foot). Embiid mentioned he primarily shut down all bodily exercise for 2 months headed into coaching camp and mentioned he was nonetheless “making an attempt to work my method again.”
He threw down a thunderous right-handed baseline dunk late within the third that awoke a quiet crowd.
“I appreciated his persistence,” Rivers mentioned. “That is a type of video games, you haven’t gained a sport, they had been trapping him each time. He simply stored transferring it. There was no rush. I simply appreciated how he approached the sport.”
The excellent news for the Sixers, their gradual begin was misplaced within the Philly sports activities shuffle among the many Phillies journey to the World Sequence, the Eagles’ 6-0 begin and the Union’s run to the Japanese Convention closing.
Plus, it’s early and Rivers believed the Sixers can straighten out and contend reasonably than fall into a protracted shedding streak.
“I’ve seen expertise,” Rivers mentioned. “It simply has to match and work. I identical to our guys within the locker room. There’s no motive to consider the opposite method, personally.”
Rivers, in his third season as Philadelphia’s coach, added the Sixers nonetheless should shore up some weaknesses to turn out to be the sort of group that may make a run within the East.
“We might go on a run. Even when we do, we’re not prepared but to be that group,” he mentioned. “It’s simply going to take time.”
TIP-INS
Pacers: Made solely 12 of 44 3-point makes an attempt. … The Pacers did have a 30-30 fourth in opposition to the 76ers however they may not cease Harden.
“I believe everybody that performs Philadelphia has received to determine what they’re keen to stay with,” Carlisle mentioned.
76ers: G Shake Milton made his season debut within the second quarter. Milton, as soon as seen as a second-unit spark, is in his fifth season with the Sixers. He didn’t rating in 6 minutes. … G De’Anthony Melton scored all of his season-high 11 factors within the first half.
UP NEXT
Pacers: Proceed their street with video games in opposition to Chicago (Wednesday), Washington (Friday), and consecutive video games in Brooklyn on Saturday and Monday.
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