Philadelphia
76ers News: Doc Rivers On Team’s Success Without Joel Embiid, Dolph
Schayes Sculpture To Be Unveiled Saturday, More
Philadelphia 76ers News: Doc Rivers On Team’s Success Without Joel
Embiid, Dolph Schayes Sculpture To Be Unveiled Saturday, More
November 4, 2022
Philadelphia 76ers News: Doc Rivers On Team’s Success Without Joel
Embiid, Dolph Schayes Sculpture To Be Unveiled Saturday, More
The Philadelphia 76ers have overcome an ugly 0-3 start and look like
bonafide title contenders again.
Philly was overpowered by the Boston Celtics on opening night by a
final score of 126-117. A close 90-88 home loss to the Milwaukee Bucks
ensued, followed by a 114-105 upset loss at home to the San Antonio
Spurs.
But the prolific offense has rounded into form since the 0-3 start.
James Harden and Joel Embiid are doing their usual things, and point
guard Tyrese Maxey is performing like an all-world superstar.
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Philly’s struggles without Embiid have been well-documented over the
years, but the team emerged victorious against the Toronto Raptors
(112-90 on Oct. 28) and the Washington Wizards (118-111 on Halloween
night) with Embiid sidelined because of a flu.
Speaking to reporters after Monday’s win over Washington, 76ers head
coach Doc Rivers explained why the 76ers have managed to get by thus
far without Embiid.
“We have better players, too,” Rivers said, via Ky
Carlin of Sixers Wire. “We have more players and that helps, it
really does. We have more guys that can play with the ball. James can
play with it, obviously, and Tyrese can as well.
“Tuck (P.J. Tucker) is so smart. Tobias (Harris) can play with the
ball, and De’Anthony (Melton) can play with the ball. So we just have
more guys, more decision-makers, and it makes us a smarter basketball
team.”
In past years, the 76ers were top-heavy and simply lacked the roster
depth to keep up with other Eastern Conference heavyweights like the
Raptors, Celtics, Bucks and Miami Heat.
But Melton (acquired in an offseason trade with the Memphis Grizzlies)
and Tucker (signed in free agency) have been grade-A additions to the
76ers roster. Embiid, Harden and Maxey will always lead the offense,
but having a stingy defender in Tucker and secondary scoring from the
likes of Harris and Melton could really take this Philly team to
another level.
76ers Will Unveil
Sculpture Of Dolph Schayes On Saturday
The Philadelphia 76ers will be unveiling a sculpture of franchise
legend Dolph Schayes on Saturday. The organization made the
announcement in a press
release, via Sam DiGiovanni of ClutchPoints.
The sculpture of Schayes will be unveiled on the 76ers Legends Walk,
located outside the team’s practice facility in Camden, New Jersey. The
ceremony will take place at 11:00 a.m.
Schayes spent his entire playing career with the Syracuse
Nationals/76ers franchise, which spanned from 1949 to 1964. Schayes led
the franchise, when they were in Syracuse, to the NBA Championship in
1955.
Schayes was a 12-time All-Star who earned six All-NBA First Team and as
many All-NBA Second Team selections. Schayes also led the league in
rebounding in 1951.
The Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer averaged 18.5 points, 12.1
rebounds and 3.1 assists per game for his career. Schayes also coached
the 76ers for three seasons (1963-64 to 1965-66) and the Buffalo Braves
(the 1970-71 season and one game in 1971-72). Schayes went 129-111 as
head coach of the 76ers.
Maxey: Harden Doesn’t
Get Enough “Credit”
Harden is a virtual lock for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. The
only thing missing on the résumé of the 2018 league MVP is an NBA
championship ring.
Harden came into his own following a 2012 blockbuster trade from the
Oklahoma City Thunder to the Houston Rockets.
He was never going to reach his full potential with Kevin Durant and
Russell Westbrook in OKC, of course. And the basketball world has seen
Harden evolve as one of the game’s all-time great prolific scorers over
the past decade.
But if you ask Harden’s star teammate, Maxey, the 10-time All-Star and
three-time NBA scoring champion doesn’t actually get enough “credit”
for what he does.
“He knows where guys need to be and how to get guys the ball,” Maxey
said of Harden, per Justin Grasso of All 76ers from
Sports Illustrated. “He’s a willing passer. I think that’s one
thing a lot of people don’t give him credit for because he’s one of the
greatest scorers of all time, also.
“Being one of the greatest passers and one of the greatest scorers,
what does that make you? I guess one of the greatest players of all
time. It’s just great to play with him. I take it as a blessing."
Ahead of the 2022 trade deadline, the 76ers acquired Harden in a
blockbuster trade with the Atlantic Division rival Brooklyn Nets. Ben
Simmons, who sought a trade from the 76ers in the 2021 offseason, was
the centerpiece of the return for Brooklyn.
So far, the trade has worked out very nicely for the 76ers.
In 21 games for the 76ers last season, Harden averaged 21 points, 7.1
rebounds and 10.5 assists per game. His numbers have been awfully
similar in the early stages of the 2022-23 campaign, and if he keeps
this up, the 76ers will be among the key favorites to win the
unforgiving Eastern Conference.
