Do Sixers have better ball movement without James Harden? Doc Rivers isn’t sure.

How much better is the 76ers’ ball movement without James Harden?

“I don’t know if it is or isn’t,” said coach Doc Rivers, responding to a question Wednesday after practice. “When you watch it, the other night it wasn’t great either way. We miss his passing.

“Tyrese [Maxey] helps us with our pace. So I would say that would be the difference.”

Thursday night’s matchup against the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena will mark the Sixers’ third straight game without Harden. The All-Star point guard, who leads the NBA with 10 assists per game, will miss a month with a strained tendon in his right foot.

On Monday, the Sixers (5-6) ran their offense through center Joel Embiid in the high post.

» READ MORE: Sixers forward Tobias Harris adapting to yet another role change with James Harden out

Embiid finished with a game-high 33 points in the 100-88 victory over the Phoenix Suns at the Wells Fargo Center. Tobias Harris and Georges Niang added 21 points apiece and Maxey rounded out the double-digit scorers with 11 points.

“I wouldn’t go by the last games, because there was no pace,” Rivers said. “That was an old ‘80s basketball game for whatever reason the other night. And the good news is we won the game.”

The Sixers have struggled to remain healthy and win games.

In addition to Harden’s injury, Embiid missed three straight games with the flu before returning Monday night. Emdiid also sat out the Sixers’ victory over the Toronto Raptors on Oct. 28 to rest his right knee. Meanwhile, Danuel House Jr. returned to practice Wednesday after missing the previous two games with the flu. And the Sixers are off to their worst start since going 2-9 through 11 games during the 2016-17 season.

But …

“I think the turning point is coming anyway,” Rivers said. “You can feel it. You would like luck and health, but we’re not going to have that for a while. … The guys, you can feel it. You can feel us starting to get to know each other, starting to get our rhythm.”

On Tuesday, the NBA upgraded Embiid’s common foul against the Suns’ Damion Lee with 1 minute, 13 seconds left in the third quarter to a Flagrant 1.

The center extended his right foot to trip Lee near the three-point line during the play.

“I didn’t even know they upgraded it,” Rivers said. “I don’t pay attention to that stuff.”

But did Rivers think it was warranted?

“No, I don’t,” he said. “But it is what it is. So you don’t even worry about it. I don’t get caught up in that. It’s not going to change, whether I have an opinion about it or not.”

Matisse Thybulle discussed Monday how the Sixers’ support for one another is “super-contagious.” He even mentioned how House, despite competing with him for a rotation spot, suggested during training camp that the two shoot together after practice. The conversation turned to House telling him the Sixers will need his shooting in the postseason, and that Thybulle should shoot confidently.

“Stop doubting yourself,” House said Wednesday, repeating what he told Thybulle. “Shoot it. You work too hard, you put in a lot of work, and I’ll shoot them with you, you can shoot the ball. Shoot it.”

House’s encouraging words say a lot about the Sixers’ bond.

“We trust in each other around here,” he said, “and I want to see my brother do good.”

Second-year guard Jaden Springer was reassigned to the Delaware Blue Coats, the Sixers’ NBA G League affiliate, on Wednesday. Springer has made two appearances with the Sixers this season, averaging 2.5 points in 2.0 minutes.

The Sixers will host Military Appreciation Night during Saturday’s game against the Hawks. The first 5,000 fans in attendance will receive a towel with Toyota and Sixers branding.