Sixers vs. Clippers takeaways: Joel Embiid-James Harden tandem is legit; defense steps up, once again, to help extend streak in statement win

The 76ers are for real.

The Joel Embiid and James Harden tandem can be one of the NBA’s best. And the Sixers defense is underrated.

Below is my look at three things that stood out during Friday night’s 119-114 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers at the Wells Fargo Center.

This victory enabled the Sixers (19-12) to go 7-0 during their homestand. However, Friday’s victory over the Clippers (19-15) revealed that the Sixers’ 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 billing as an Eastern Conference contender.

Los Angeles boasts one the league’s best perimeter tandems in Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. The Clippers also are one of the NBA’s deepest teams. And they came into the game on the roll, winning five of six contests.

Beating Los Angeles carried different weight than Wednesday’s victory over the Detroit Pistons, the league’s worst team.

“That’s a good team right there,” Embiid said of the Clippers. “They got all the talent in the world, from the starting five to guys coming off the bench. They’re probably the favorites to come out of the West based on what they have.”

Leonard, a five-time All-NBA selection and two-time Finals MVP, almost willed Los Angeles to victory. The small forward scored nine of his 28 points in the fourth quarter. And this performance was the norm for him. Embiid knows all too well, having been ousted by the Leonard-led Toronto Raptors in the second round of the 2019 playoffs.

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“So when you got a guy like that, you have a chance,” Embiid said. “So for us to come down 20 [points] that’s big-time for us. That just showed that we stayed together, we trust each other, and we know what we have to do.”

The Sixers shot 62.5% after intermission, including making 8 of 15 shots from beyond the three-point line. Paul George was the Clippers’ second-leading scorer with 22 points. However, De’Anthony Melton held the six-time All-NBA selection to five points in the second half on 1-for-5 shooting.

“We’ve obviously been playing really well as of late,” Tobias Harris said. “A win like tonight goes to show how good of a team we are, especially when we come to play.”

It wasn’t too long ago that the Embiid and Harden pairing was hard to watch..

If this game was an indication, those days are long gone.

The perennial All-NBA selections looked like the league’s best duo versus the Clippers.

Embiid finished with a game-high 44 points along with seven rebounds, two blocks, and a steal. Harden added 20 points, a career-high 21 assists and 11 rebounds. In the process, he tied Hall of Famers Mo Cheeks and Wilt Chamberlain for the single-game franchise record for assists. He also became the only NBA player with at least 20 assists this season.

Coach Doc Rivers was asked if Friday night was the best he’s seen them play together.

“I think they’re playing well together,” Rivers said. “Number-wise, It clearly is the best. But I just think they have a great chemistry, right now. And it’s just going to keep growing.”

Embiid doesn’t think this was their best performance together.

The center acknowledged that Harden had a big-assist night while he scored the ball.

“But I still think we can be way better,” Embiid said. “But I like where we are at. There’s always room for improvement. And I like to take on the challenge. I think we still have a long way to go.”

Embiid averaged 35.7 points and 10.3 rebounds while shooting 52.6% from beyond the three-point line during the homestand. Meanwhile, Harden averaged 20.6 points, 12.7 assists, and 1.4 steals during that stretch.

As Friday showed, their two-man game is continuing to take big steps forward.

“Constant work, constant work,” Harden said of the where the comfort level comes from. “We talk about it, communication, going out there and doing it. We don’t really rep it because of [lack] of practice. But just the communication is very important.

“And then, obviously, we want to see each other succeed. I ask him something, or tell him something and vice versa. And we know that’s better for our team.”

Stepping up their defensive play after intermission aided the Sixers.

The Clippers shot just 40%, including making 4 of 19 three-pointers in the second half. In addition to George shooting 1-for-6, Los Angeles point guard Reggie Jackson had two points on 1-for-4 shooting. Reserve Luke Kennard, the league leading in three-point percentage (.489), went 0-for-2 from the field — both three-point attempts.

The Sixers defensive effort was far from a fluke.

They’re second in the league behind the Cleveland Cavaliers in defensive rating at 108.3.

“I feel like it’s been overlooked,” Embiid said of the defense. “But it’s fine. We’ve been doing our job. Everybody on the team has been following what they need to do. ... Everybody buying in, everybody being on the same page, just being physical.”

Embiid said they have a long way to go from being the best defense in the league.

“But being second is not bad,” he said.