Philadelphia 76ers

Since Joel Embiid played his first NBA game in 2016, he and James Harden have been two of the most electrifying singular talents in the league. So when Harden came to the Philadelphia 76ers via trade in 2022, the message to the rest of the teams was clear: watch out. Harden led the league in scoring from 2018-2020, was the MVP in 2018 and has been an All-Star in every season since 2013. Embiid has been no slouch himself: he was the league’s top scorer in 2022, has been an All-Star every year since 2018 and finished second in MVP voting in both 2021 and 2022. Despite only playing in 33 games for the 76ers in 2022, Harden’s impact was immediate while playing alongside the do-it-all Embiid. Against the LA Clippers on March 25, 2022, the partnership’s potential was obvious. The 7-foot Embiid dazzles with his ability to drive coast-to-coast through traffic for a layup, while Harden’s patented stepback three-pointer and ability to make any pass to Embiid on the court proves impossible to defend. The dynamic duo combined for 56 points, 25 rebounds, nine assists, three steals and three blocks in the runaway 122-97 victory, leaving 76ers fans ebullient for a full-season run in 2022-23.

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