Joel Embiid, James Harden, and Co. ready for marquee matchup: ‘Hopefully, we can put on a show’
The Sixers come into the game against the Knicks on a seven-game winning streak.
NEW YORK — Georges Niang was far from complacent following the 76ers’ statement victory over the Los Angeles Clippers.
“I don’t want to look at it like that, because we got a big game coming up on Christmas,” he said of turning his attention to the New York Knicks shortly after Friday’s 119-114 come-from-behind victory at the Wells Fargo Center.
“That’s when everybody is going to see us then,” he added. “Tonight was great. This was huge. Obviously, we’re expected to win when we’re at home.
“But now we have to go handle business on the road on a Christmas Day game. It’s going to be a crazy environment in New York.”
That might be an understatement, as the Sixers (19-12) are back playing in the NBA’s marquee regular-season showcase after a two-season hiatus.
» READ MORE: Sixers vs. Clippers takeaways: Joel Embiid-James Harden tandem is legit; defense steps up to help extend streak
Their noon game against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden will kick off the day’s five-game slate.
It will mark the 13th time the Sixers face New York (18-15) on the holiday. Meanwhile, the Knicks will extend their record for the most games played on Christmas Day to 55. And Philly is tied for the third-most wins with an 18-14 Christmas record.
And there’s probably no bigger thrill for NBA players than playing in the Knicks’ famed arena.
“It’s the Garden,” Joel Embiid said. “Christmas in the Garden is always fun. It’s one of my favorite arenas to play in. So it’s going to be fun. But it’s all business. We’ve got to go in with the same mindset. We’re on a seven-game winning streak. So we gotta keep that going.”
The Sixers, who accumulated that winning streak by going 7-0 on their just-completed homestand, are in fifth place in the Eastern Conference, a game behind the fourth-place Brooklyn Nets (21-12). The sixth-place Knicks dropped to two games behind the Sixers after losing consecutive games.
“They’re trying to catch us in the rankings, and we’re trying to catch other people,” Niang said. “So [Friday] was awesome. It was great. I think we took a lot of great steps, but we celebrated it. We’re happy. We’ll do Christmas Eve, Christmas and try to get up there and get a win in New York.”
But Friday’s victory over the Clippers (19-15) did reveal the winning streak wasn’t just the result of facing below-.500 teams. It showed that they’re actually starting to live up to their preseason bill as a conference contender.
» READ MORE: ‘Which contract was worse, P.J. Tucker or Al Horford?’
Sunday’s matchup against the Knicks will be a rematch of the teams’ Nov. 4 meeting in South Philly. Back then, the Knicks prevailed, 106-104, against the Sixers squad that was without Embiid and James Harden. It was the first of 14 games Harden missed with a strained tendon in his right foot. Embiid was sidelined with a non-COVID-19 illness.
But the Sixers took a nine-point lead into the fourth quarter, thanks to the solid play of Tyrese Maxey and Tobias Harris.
However, things fell apart for the duo and the Sixers.
The smooth shots they made in the third quarter turned into bricks or airballs in the fourth. The solid defensive stops disappeared, and they committed inopportune turnovers.
The Sixers shot 27.3% from the field, including going 3-for-13 on three-pointers, in the fourth quarter. They also committed six turnovers.
Maxey, who is still sidelined with a fractured left foot, scored four points in the quarter on 1-for-7 shooting to finish with 31 points. Harris also had four while making 1 of 2 shots to finish with 23.
On Friday, the Sixers showed how far they’ve come since then, battling back from a 20-point deficit to post a thrilling victory.
Now, they’ll be one of 10 teams being showcased on Christmas.
“It’s an honor, it really is,” Sixers coach Doc Rivers said. “I’ve played in too many of them in some ways. As a coach, you forget how special it is for players.”
A week ago, Rivers said one of his players told him how excited he was to play in his first Christmas Day game.
“When I thought about it, I was thinking we should never take these for granted,” Rivers said. “It means you are doing a good job, your players are doing a good job, we got a good team, people want to see you.
“You know, it’s a sacrifice, obviously, but it is an honor. So I can’t take it for granted. Neither can the players.”
Harden (as a Brooklyn Net), Los Angeles Lakers point guard Russell Westbrook, and Dallas Mavericks guard Kemba Walker (as a New York Knick), recorded triple-doubles last Christmas, marking the first time three players recorded the feat on the holiday.
“I’ve been fortunate to play on Christmas several times,” Harden said. “And if you’re playing on Christmas, you are one of those teams; you are one of those players. I think it’s a handful of games … on Christmas. People sit back and watch basketball and be with their family.
“Hopefully, we can put on a show.”