Getty Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers tries to drive past Montrezl Harrell.
The Philadelphia 76ers look to have one of the best rosters set to compete for the Finals this season. But as most Sixers fans know, things can turn on the dime if the wrong player misses enough time with the right injury.
Last season, Sixers superstar center Joel Embiid suffered a facial fracture in the first round of the playoffs against the Toronto Raptors. The injury sidelined him for Philadelphia’s first two games against the Miami Heat in the team’s subsequent playoff series. But by the time Embiid returned, the Sixers looked a shell of their former selves, having been thoroughly picked apart by the Heat.
But before the injury, the Sixers looked primed for a deep playoff run. This season, the team will need a clean bill of health for its stars Embiid and Harden. The same goes for the rotation unit; any prolonged absence by guys like Montrezl Harrell, De’Anthony Melton, and PJ Tucker would surely be felt.
Unfortunately, the injury bug is already biting the Sixers. On Sunday, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that Harrell, the former Sixth Man of the Year that Philadelphia picked up at the end of summer, missed practice with a chest injury.
#Sixers reserve center Montrezl Harrell missed Sunday’s practice with a right intercostal strain and is listed day-to-day.
Harrell is one of a few Sixers to keep an injury eye on during the preseason. Over the summer, Sixers GM Daryl Morey opened up on James Harden’s injury history and the hamstring strain that appeared to limit him last year.
Morey: Harden’s Hamstring in a ‘Good Place’ Now
Over the summer, Morey sat down for an interview on the Takeoff with John Clark podcast on NBC Sports. Morey explained his surprise when Harden told him about the hamstring injury, but allayed any fears that the hamstring was less than 100%.
“More than any player I’ve worked with, he never says something’s wrong,” Morey said. “It actually surprised me when he said what he said after the season. For him to say that means that there were more issues than he — look, he’s, you know, ‘spit on it, get on the floor, win at whatever cost you can do, go out there and win.’ He’s been one of the most durable guys in NBA history prior to the hamstring issue. I know he’s worked hard to get it to a great place. It’s in a great place right now.”
The Sixers will be counting on Harden to be a vintage version of himself next season. At the very least, head coach Doc Rivers hasn’t hesitated a bit putting huge (if not legendary) expectations on the former MVP.
Rivers Wants Harden to Be a ‘Scoring Magic Johnson’ for 76ers
Harden projects to be Philadelphia’s lead playmaker next season. But Rivers was careful to not limit Harden’s role as just a facilitating guard. He opened up about how the team plans to use Harden this season on ESPN’s NBA Today on October 4, invoking Los Angeles Lakers legend Magic Johnson in the process.
“I think we’ve talked so much about him being a facilitator … but I need him to be James Harden too,” Rivers said. “If I had to combine, I would say a scoring Magic Johnson, I don’t know … but that’s what I want him to be.”
If Harden does find a way to unlock that gear, he could form an even more potent punch with fellow superstar Joel Embiid.