Player grades: James Harden, Joel Embiid lead Sixers past Grizzlies
PHILADELPHIA–The Philadelphia 76ers returned from the All-Star break to face a tough opponent in the form of the Memphis Grizzlies. The Sixers were looking to make a statement in terms of being able to open the break with an impressive win at home.
It wasn’t looking good from the jump as the Grizzlies rode the hot hand of Desmond Bane on their way to an early 17-point lead. They were getting so many easy looks and the Sixers had a tough time stopping them. When combined with a poor offensive start, they were in a deep hole.
However, James Harden kept them in it and Joel Embiid shook off a horrible start to lead Philadelphia on the comeback trail and a 110-105 win at home. Harden had 31 points, seven assists, and seven rebounds while Embiid had 27 points on 7-for-25 shooting and he had 18 rebounds, six assists, and six blocks.
Tyrese Maxey had 16 points off the bench while Tobias Harris had 20 and four rebounds.
Here are the player grades after the win:
James Harden: A
The Beard got off to a good start on the offensive end when he drilled a triple while being fouled and he completed the 4-point play. Afterward, he got into it a bit with Dillon Brooks when the Memphis guard fouled him a bit too hard on a drive to the basket and he then got to the cup for a tough bucket. He continues to show off some of that old burst in his game. Overall, Harden was very good on the offensive end, but on defense, he had a tough night. On the flip side, he deserves a ton of credit for keeping the Sixers in the game as he was their best offensive player in this one.
De'Anthony Melton: D+
It looked like Melton was getting confused with his coverages on the defensive end. He was defending Ja Morant, but once Bane got going from deep, the Sixers needed to make a change on their 3-point coverages and he looked a bit out of place. He also picked up three fouls in the first half and that limited him a bit. He also wasn’t able to convert much on offense either.
Tobias Harris: A-
As with Melton, there were a few times when Harris looked out of place on defense. The Grizzlies walked into a lot of wide-open triples, mostly Bane, and they were able to get off to a hot start on the offensive end. He also wasn’t very effective on offense. On a positive note, things changed in the second half as he did knock down four spot-up triples, including two huge ones late, which is exactly what the Sixers need from him.
PJ Tucker: B
Tucker had a nice start on offense as he knocked down a corner triple, but he had a tough time on defense. He got caught with two quick fouls defending Memphis All-Star Jaren Jackson Jr. and that limited his effectiveness. In the second half, he knocked down another corner 3-pointer and he did a solid job on the defensive end. Overall, this was a nice night for him.
Joel Embiid: A-
The start for Embiid wasn’t great as he had a tough time really getting into any type of rhythm early. He was struggling with his shot, but he was mostly just settling for mid-range contested jumpers. On the defensive end, he was very good as he was protecting the basket and putting some fear into the Grizzlies when they tried to attack the rim. He was also huge on the glass in terms of holding Memphis to just one possession, but he just didn’t have it on offense. He shot 2-for-14 in the first half in what was a rough start. He got a couple of jumpers to fall in the second half, but overall, this was not a good night on the offensive end for him at all. In his defense, he was playing with a non-COVID illness. Either way, his impact on both ends of the floor is what helped the Sixers rally to win this game.
Tyrese Maxey: B-
The offensive start for Maxey coming off the bench was tough as he missed four of his first five shots, including a couple at the rim. He also had a tough time on the defensive end as the Grizzlies were hunting for him with mismatches. He deserves credit on defense for pressuring the ball a bit, but the Memphis guards were able to figure it out rather quickly. In the second half, he was able to get to the basket and finish in order to help Philadelphia get back in this one. He didn’t shoot the ball well overall, but the Sixers relied on him in order to get back in the game.
Georges Niang: C+
With the team needing a spark on the offensive end, Niang entered and he knocked down a triple when it looked like Memphis was going to pull away early. He had a few nice moments on the offensive end to keep the Sixers in it in the first half. He didn’t do much in the second half as the Grizzlies bottled him up.
Jalen McDaniels: B-
With the Grizzlies getting a ton of easy looks on offense, coach Doc Rivers turned to McDaniels early, but he wasn’t able to make much of an impact. He had a tough time on the glass as the physical Grizzlies punished him whenever he got into the paint. He also wasn’t able to convert on his looks on the offensive end. He was a bit better after halftime as he was able to get an easy bucket and make some nice defensive moments.
Paul Reed: B-
Continuing to get the backup minutes behind Embiid, Bball Paul had a few nice moments on the defensive end, but he struggled on the glass and he wasn’t able to convert his looks at the basket on offense. The energy Reed brought was important as he was able to give the Sixers a spark in that respect, but the Grizzlies were already in an offensive rhythm. He kept the Sixers close to even in his minutes which is what Philadelphia will take on a regular basis.
Shake Milton: D-
The initial run for Milton wasn’t great. He played four minutes in the first half and he missed his one look while having his own issues on the defensive end. He wasn’t much better in the second half as it was a bit of a dud for him.
