The Sixers are on a four-game winning streak. What does it mean?

What should we make of the 76ers’ four-game winning streak?

Is it the result of the Sixers (16-12) playing their best basketball of the season? Or could it be the result of hosting struggling and depleted teams?

Those are legitimate questions for a team facing opponents mostly down on their luck. But before this homestand, the same could be said about the Sixers.

The consensus was the Joel Embiid-James Harden partnership didn’t work. The Sixers’ pace was too slow. And they had a knack for losing to the league’s worst teams.

» READ MORE: Takeaways from the Sixers' 118-106 win over the Warriors

Well, the Embiid-Harden All-Star partnership has thrived in the four straight wins. The Sixers ranked third in the league in pace (102.94) during the stretch. And their four victories by an average of 15.3 points, regardless of the opponents, will serve as a confidence builder for a squad coming off a double-overtime loss to the woeful Houston Rockets.

Friday’s 118-106 victory over the Golden State Warriors marked Harden’s fifth game back from a strained tendon in his right foot. The Sixers appear much improved following his 14-game absence with the injury.

Harden knows the reason why.

“Time,” he said, ”and just the communication we’ve been having whether it’s Doc [Rivers] or Joel or just everybody, like, ‘This is how we’re playing. This is what we need to do.’ Even for myself, like pushing the pace, getting the ball up past halfcourt a little faster, and having more seconds to decide what we want to do.

“But I think communication has been on point. Me and Joel, especially, in that pick-and-roll when he got it going. Even [Friday] early, he let me go, So, you know, it’s just growing.”

The Sixers were 2-5 in the first seven of the 11 games Harden and Embiid played together. Since then, they’ve looked like an unstoppable pairing.

Embiid is averaging 39.0 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.0 block during the win streak. The five-time All-Star center is shooting 61.1% from the field, including making 63.6% from beyond the three-point line.

Harden is averaging 23.8 points, 13.0 assists, 6.3 rebounds and 1.8 steals over the same time. He’s shooting shooting 50.8% from the field, while making 45.2% of his shots beyond the three-point line. And the 2018 MVP and three-time scoring champion as a Rocket also is making his mark with lookahead passes in transition.

“James is an elite passer,” Rivers said of the 10-time All-Star and member of the 75th anniversary team. “We forget how good James is sometimes. We want him to be a facilitator and scorer, more of both here. In Houston, he was more of a scorer. We forget this guy was one of the greatest players to ever play.

“And to do that with the ball, you have to be a great passer. And he’s doing that, and now he’s in a role of doing that. And he’s actually enjoying it. It’s pretty cool.”

» READ MORE: Warriors’ Andre Iguodala reflects on his time as a Sixer: The fans ‘hold you accountable’

The Sixers also are enjoying the moment. Their success has translated into a better spirit from top to bottom.

They’ll have two more favorable games before concluding their seven-game homestand Friday against the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Sixers will entertain the Toronto Raptors at 7 p.m. Monday. That will be the second game in as many days for the Raptors (13-16), who look to snap their four-game skid Sunday night against the Warriors (14-16).

At 7 p.m. Wednesday, the Sixers will host the Detroit Pistons. Detroit has the league’s second-worst record at 8-23. The Clippers will be just the second team the Sixers will face during this homestand with a winning record.They improved to 18-14 after defeating the Washington Wizards on Saturday.

As Atlantic Division rivals, the Sixers could get tested against Toronto. But the Clippers matchup, especially if Kawhi Leonard and Paul George play, will be a barometer game.

But with the Sixers mostly healthy, this winning streak gives them a chance to finally start building some consistency.

“Mostly healthy? Sheesh,” Harden said, noting the team was without two starters Tobias Harris (back pain) and Tyrese Maxey (fractured left foot) against Golden State. Maxey, the team’s second-leading scorer, has missed 13 games.

» READ MORE: Sixers’ Montrezl Harrell says Tyrese Maxey remains upbeat despite staying sidelined with foot injury

“We don’t let injuries or mishaps or whatnot slow us down,” Harden said. " It’s kind of the next-man-up mentality. Whoever’s playing tonight, whoever’s suited up, got to be ready to go. We know it’s going to be a long season. So things aren’t going to be perfect.”

But the Sixers want to be healthy when things ramp up. That’s when they want to have an identity and go into the postseason with confidence.

“These games right here,” Harden said, “are really good for us.”