There's a chance the James Harden-Ben Simmons blockbuster at the NBA trade deadline could backfire for both the Philadelphia 76ers and the Brooklyn Nets.
But if you're wondering why the Sixers in particular gave up so much to land Harden, you got your answer Friday night.
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Harden was a playmaking force against the Minnesota Timberwolves in his Philadelphia debut, racking up 27 points, eight rebounds and 12 assists in the Sixers' 133-102 blowout win.
Harden's offensive performance (7 for 12 from the floor; 5 for 7 from three) was certainly impressive. But what should excite Sixers fans the most are those 12 assists.
The 10-time All-Star showcased his excellent playmaking ability Friday night, setting his teammates up for open looks and helping them connect on 51.2% of their shots (48.7% of their 3-pointers).
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One of the primary beneficiaries, of course, was big man Joel Embiid, who hit 10 of 18 shots (including three 3-pointers) to finish with a game-high 34 points."You should’ve seen my face every single time, especially in the fourth," Embiid told NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Kate Scott after the game about playing alongside Harden. "The first three quarters, obviously making plays for all of us. That was probably the most wide open I’ve ever been in my career. I had a lot of easy baskets.
"I used to have to work for everything. But in the fourth quarter, the shotmaking ability, shot creation -- you should’ve seen my face. I was just like, ‘I’ve never had this. Nothing close to it.'"
Embiid did have an elite facilitator in Simmons, but Simmons' offensive limitations still meant that Embiid shouldered the scoring load. That won't be the case with Harden, who's one of the NBA's most gifted scorers yet is an underrated playmaker who has averaged 8.6 assists per game since the start of the 2014-15 season.
We shouldn't overreact to one game, obviously. Harden looked great next to Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in Brooklyn before things went south, and concerns about his defense remain. But Harden's dual-threat ability as a playmaker and scorer gives Philly a dangerous added dimension on offense.
The Boston Celtics won't see Harden and the new-look Sixers over their final 21 regular-season games. If the season ended Saturday, though, Boston and Philly would face each other in the No. 3-vs.-No. 6 first-round playoff matchup -- and the C's would have their hands full with "Embeard."