The Sixers’ growing pains have hamstrung what was expected to be a promising season: ‘We just don’t execute’

HOUSTON — Everything wrong with the 76ers emerged Monday night in a nine-point, double-overtime loss to the Houston Rockets. Right there, in plain view in the Toyota Center, were the massive issues coming together against a squad many consider to be playing for the No. 1 pick.

There were Sixers players dominating the ball while others stood and watched. There were players turning the ball over with careless passes. There were the youthful Rockets driving to the basket and making three-pointers against lackluster defense. And there were the Sixers losing to another inferior team.

In addition to Houston (7-17), other league bottom-feeders the Sixers have lost to include the San Antonio Spurs and Charlotte Hornets.

» READ MORE: Sixers vs. Rockets takeaways: Blown opportunities, James Harden’s late shots, not feeding Tobias Harris

All of those shortcomings have become too common this season for a preseason favorite to contend for the Eastern Conference title.

James Harden, in his first game back from a strained tendon in his right foot, was the biggest dribble-too-much culprit. On several occasions in the fourth quarter and overtime sessions, he overdribbled and looked for his own shot instead of feeding the ball to Tobias Harris, who was an unguarded and unstoppable force on the night.

Meanwhile, Joel Embiid finished with a game-high 39 points and seven rebounds before fouling out in regulation. Embiid (five) and Harden (seven) also combined for 12 of the Sixers’ 20 turnovers.

The Sixers (12-12) are now on their second three-game losing streak of the season. This game marked Embiid’s fourth game back after missing the previous four with a sprained left foot. Harden was sidelined 14 games before returning Monday.

With their two best players back in the lineup, the Sixers haven’t played as freely as they did while winning three of four games without the duo and Tyrese Maxey.

Following the Rockets loss, coach Doc Rivers said the team’s improvement will be linked to players getting readjusted to Harden and Embiid.

“But, you know, it’s just one game,” he said. “So I’m not worried about that. … Tyrese still has to come back. That’s still part of it.

“We still should have won the game. I don’t think that had anything to do with why we lost the game.”

Rivers is right about it just being one game with Harden back in the mix. And it will be hard to judge the Sixers until Maxey returns in a couple of weeks.

However, on Monday the Sixers dropped to 2-5 in games when Embiid and Harden play together. And they’re 2-4 with their starting lineup of P.J. Tucker, Harris, Embiid, Maxey, and Harden intact.

» READ MORE: After struggling in return from foot injury, Sixers’ James Harden aims for reacclimation this week

“But even in those six games, we were trying to figure it out,” Harris said. “So it’s going to take time as well. We still have enough talent and enough depth on this team to be able to at least gain chemistry to figure out ways to be locked in.”

But regardless which players are available, the Sixers have been doomed by the same miscues in many of their losses.

Embiid initially said practice would help to improve those areas.

“Then again, we practice a lot,” he said, “and we do a lot of stuff. But we just don’t execute it during a game. So we’ve got to be able to translate whatever we do in practice in a game.

“I’ll be honest, we just haven’t been able to do so.”