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Joel Embiid and James Harden are two of the premier scorers to ever play the sport of basketball. The two Philadelphia 76ers stars have put forth some record-breaking stat lines during their impressive careers with the hopes there will be even more in the future. In a recent article by Dan Favale of Bleacher Report, the top 10 one-on-one scorers in the NBA were ranked. Unsurprisingly, both Embiid and Harden saw their names crack this list. While Luka Doncic and DeMar DeRozan ranked first and second in this category, each Sixers star received recognition for their impressive offensive abilities.
Harden Ranks 3rd
Harden came in third on the list and is estimated to generate 27.44 total isolation value added according to Bleacher Report’s metric. As was written:
“His 1.26 points per possession are the second-highest in the top 10. (Shout-out, once again, to Caleb Martin.) And while his effective field-goal percentage in these situations isn’t especially high, it’s hardly low (55.9).
Indeed, Harden is generating this value in the exact way you’d expect. Over 20 percent of his isos end in free throws, the second-best mark on this list. Predictability is one hell of a drug.
Then again, is it?
With his volume at the rim dipping, Harden’s free-throw rate is almost surprisingly high—and, thus, extra commendable and less satisfying to watch all at once. And he continues to never cough up these touches. His 4.7 turnover rate is second only to LeBron James among players to finish at least 50 iso possessions,” per Dan Favale of Bleacher Report.
Harden has made a career off of his isolation production. While he has transitioned into more of a playmaking role in the advanced years of his career, his ability to get a bucket is still crucial to the Sixers. Harden has shown a newfound focus this season with his health as the biggest reason for this. He walks a masterful line as a playmaker and scorer in a way that is vital to the team. While Embiid may be the most impactful in the box score, Harden is the motor the offense needs to run.
Embiid Ranks 9th
It was somewhat surprising to see Embiid fall all the way down to ninth on the list considering the damage he does on a nightly basis. However, there was still plenty of praise for the big fellas’ production. As was written:
“Volume trounces efficiency for Joel Embiid…who is actually still pretty efficient.
Though he has yet to appear in 20 games, he’s already fourth in total isolations. His points per possession (1.04) and effective field goal percentage (48.1) both place in the bottom two among this top-10 list, but they still creep past the league averages of 0.94 and 44.6, respectively.
Meaningful free-throw volume helps Embiid offset shakier percentages relative to his peers. About 18.4 percent of his isos end in shooting fouls—a top-10 mark among 94 players who have finished at least 20 possessions.
Any qualms about his efficiency during live balls is overblown. It shouldn’t even exist. Embiid is generating more points on his isos than last year, and his body of works comes while facing a unique amount of defensive pressure. Nobody you’ll see here, for instance, encounters double-teams on a larger share of their possessions,” per Dan Favale of Bleacher Report.
The mid-range and the free-throw line are where Embiid has made most of his damage this season. The big man continues to alter his shot diet away from the post and is functioning more like a perimeter player. Embiid deserves credit for evolving with the modern NBA, even if it is frustrating to some.
While the isolation ability of each player is a weapon the Sixers must lean on at times, they must be careful not to overuse it. The lack of ball movement within the offense has already been a concern and something Doc Rivers has addressed that they are working on. Continuing to tinker with the play call to get everyone involved and avoid the ball sticking too much will be key. Embiid and Harden are two of the best offensive talents in the NBA, and the Sixers must figure out how to use them in a way that contributes to the greatest team success.
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