The Sixers need to find balance — with and without James Harden

The 76ers have a dilemma.

In the five games that James Harden has been sidelined, the Sixers (7-7) have the NBA’s top defensive rating. However, their offensive rating over that span is 29th.

It’s no secret that Harden has defensive shortcomings that force the Sixers to rely on constant switches. So it’s not surprising that his absence has led to defensive improvements, especially with all-defensive second-teamer Matisse Thybulle and De’Anthony Melton taking his minutes.

But as good as the Sixers’ defensive rating has been — they currently rate at 100.6 points per 100 possessions — their offensive rating of 105.0 points per 100 has been equally as bad since Harden has been out.

But coach Doc Rivers said Thursday that people sometimes pay attention to numbers and rankings way too much. He thinks there are many reasons, including particular matchups, that could lead to specific numbers.

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“If you look at our numbers right before James went out, our defensive numbers were starting to spike anyway,” he said. “So I think that’s a lot of that. Offensively, we played three slow games in a row. You know the Hawks are very big. They run, but they are very deliberate.”

But the Sixers have played differently without Harden.

Harden suffered a strained tendon in his right foot against the Washington Wizards at the Wells Fargo Center on Nov. 2. So far, he has missed five games against the likes of the New York Knicks, Phoenix Suns, Atlanta Hawks, and Utah Jazz.

The Sixers have gone 3-2 without him. However, they were also minus Joel Embiid against the Knicks. So they won three of the four games since Embiid returned and take a two-game winning streak into Friday night’s home game against the Milwaukee Bucks.

While Rivers tried to downplay their defensive efforts, he has to know their performance without Harden is impressive.

The Suns and Jazz are ranked in the Top 8 in offensive rating so far season. Meanwhile, the Knicks are one spot behind the Sixers at 18th, and the Hawks were 19th.

Aided by their last five games, the Sixers have the league’s fourth-best defensive rating.

However, a top defense and poorly-ranked offense isn’t the combination that creates NBA championship DNA. Contenders usually rank in the Top 10 in both categories.

So the Sixers need to find balance without Harden, who’s expected to be sidelined a couple of more weeks. They’ll also need to make improvements once the perennial All-NBA selection returns.

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One of the league’s best facilitators, Harden needs to play. Folks rave over his scoring prowess, but his biggest impact as a Sixer has been distributing the basketball. The point guard is averaging 10.0 assists per game and recorded 17 against the Washington Wizards on Oct. 31, tying his career high.

On the surface, the Sixers’ offensive shortcomings without Harden are surprising. Maybe Embiid’s dominant play was simply blinding. He averaged 40.0 points on 54.3% shooting to go along with 11.0 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 2.8 blocks in four games and was named Eastern Conference player of the week. Embiid’s highlight was a career-high 59 points along with 11 rebounds, eight assists, and seven blocks in 37 minutes Sunday night against the Jazz.

But when you take a closer look, it becomes obvious the Sixers have been stagnant and sloppy with the ball. They had more turnovers (17) than assists in their Nov. 10 loss to the Hawks. The Sixers’ turnover-to-assist ratio was better in the last two games. However, Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Tobias Harris combined for 64 of the Sixers’ 83 shots in Sunday’s victory. And Harris’ 12 attempts were at least half of what Embiid (28) and Maxey (24) generated.

The Sixers need to get more people involved, and it’s clear their dismal offensive rating is a result of being without a true point guard in Harden’s absence.

Melton has been their best offseason acquisition and most valuable non-starter, but he’s not a point guard. Melton has also struggled in big moments.

As for Maxey, his focus should be on scoring. For him to excel, his No. 1 instinct has to be getting downhill and attacking the basket or shooting threes.

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“It’s going to come,” Danuel House Jr. said of improving the offensive struggles. “It’s just ball movement. We are going to do that. We are going to make shots. We missed open shots, shots that we usually make when we get good looks. So it’s all right. It’s going to come. It’s just that time.”

House said basketball is a game of runs that requires a team to be mentally and physically consistent to come out on top.

But it’s been obvious the Sixers are nowhere near the top of the league on offense without Harden, while they suffer on defense with him. And solving that equation will be a season-long task.

In the meantime, they need to find a balance.