Daryl Morey on James Harden’s future: He’s going to be wherever he’s got the best chance for a title

By HoopsHype | February 24, 2023

What’s the buzz on Twitter? James Ham @James_HamNBAFrom Kings:Along with his 42 points and 12 assists, De’Aaron Fox added five steals vs. LAC.Since 1973-74, Fox is just the 12th player in the NBA with 40 points, 10 assists and five steals in a game. He is the first since James Harden on Mar. 15, 2019 vs. PHX. – 1:38 AM Dave Early @DavidEarlyWhether it’s a COVID break in late ‘2021, a 2 week period following a trade and All Star Break, an offseason, or this past All Star break, James Harden sure does look fiercer when he’s fresh. – 12:15 AM Austin Krell @NBAKrellI ultimately think the Nets did quite well in what they got for Kyrie and KD, respectively, and will probably be a spirited, fun team in this post 7/11 era.But, man, were those takes about the Simmons for Harden trade awful. – 9:56 PM Dave Early @DavidEarly“I know that he’s focused on winning the championship he’s gonna be wherever he feels like he’s got the best chance. Obviously his pairing with Embiid is very, very good. And we feel like it’s a great pairing for the long term.”-Daryl Morey on SportsCenter pic.twitter.com/2p5feLwzDO – 6:38 PM Dave Early @DavidEarlyI don’t believe in hexes or curses really, but… foisting out the GM who drafted Joel Embiid and also left you enough picks to pair up Jimmy Butler and James Harden feels like bad karma.What if the Sixers just need Hinkie to be a bell-ringer in order to win it all? – 4:39 PM Keith Pompey @PompeyOnSixersJames Harden:“It’s things like that where you just sit back and think about real life and things bigger than basketball. I heard that he was a fan of mine and I wanted to get up on that ASAP and see what I can do, anything I could do.”inquirer.com/sixers/sixers-… via @phillyinquirer – 6:25 AM Lauren Rosen @LaurenMRosenJames Harden on the @Philadelphia 76ers‘ big comeback tonight:“We’re resilient. We fought, and fought, and fought. It was great for us… We found something today: We’ve got a team that won’t quit. And that’s always a good sign.” – 12:28 AM Austin Krell @NBAKrellTobias Harris confirmed that the Sixers had a bad practice yesterday, as Reggie Miller mentioned on the TNT broadcast. Didn’t outright confirm that Rivers said anything about Kevin Garnett or put the onus on Embiid+Harden, but said that the team responded well in the second half. – 10:50 PM Tim Bontemps @TimBontempsFinal: Sixers 110, Grizzlies 105.Joel Embiid went 7-25 but finishes with 27-19-6-6, & James Harden had 31-7-7 for the Sixers, who host the Celtics Saturday.Desmond Bane led Memphis with 25 points – 19 of which came in the first quarter. Ja Morant had 15-5 but went 3-16. – 10:16 PM Gina Mizell @ginamizellFINAL: Sixers 110, Grizzlies 105. Sixers somehow claw back to win this one in perhaps their most improbable victory of the season. Embiid 27-19-6. Harden 31-7-7. Harris 20 points and two huge 3s down the stretch.Up next: Saturday vs. Boston on ABC. – 10:15 PM Derek Bodner @DerekBodnerNBAFinal: Sixers win 110-105.Sixers with a pair of very unconventional wins over the Cavs (38-23, 4th in the East) and Grizzlies (35-23, 2nd in the West) in their last two games.Harden (31/7/7) led the way for the Sixers, who improve to 39-19 on the season. – 10:15 PM Rich Hoffman @rich_hofmannSixers beat Memphis, 110-105. They are 39-19.Impressive fight. Outside of James Harden (31 points), they had nothing offensively all game. Joel Embiid certainly didn’t. To the Sixers’ credit, they guarded. Embiid certainly did that. The building was rocking down the stretch. – 10:14 PM Kendrick Perkins @KendrickPerkins*Squints* Uh-oh! Is that H-Town James Harden!? And Embiid is reminding us that there are 2 ends of the court. Not a great shooting game but still a dominant performance! Carry on… – 10:13 PM Derek Bodner @DerekBodnerNBATobias Harris corner 3 off an offensive rebound / broken play, then a James Harden diving floor board / outlet to Embiid in transition and the Sixers are now up 108-105 with 23.3 seconds left. – 10:04 PM Tim Bontemps @TimBontempsAfter a rock fight for three quarters, a basketball game has broken out here in Philly. And somehow, someway, the Sixers find themselves down by a point with 3:38 to go.Joel Embiid is 5-22, but has 23 points, 18 rebounds, six assists and five blocks, & James Harden has 28-6-5. – 9:55 PM Gina Mizell @ginamizellWe’re getting small-ball P.J. Tucker at center minutes. He’s out there with Maxey-Harden-McDaniels-Niang. – 9:33 PM Gina Mizell @ginamizellGrizzlies 81, Sixers 75 at the end of the third. Sixers hanging around despite shooting 36 percent from the floor — because Memphis is at 40 percent. Embiid has not played well but is still nearing a 20-20 game (19 and 17). Harden with 18 and 4. – 9:26 PM Rich Hoffman @rich_hofmannSomehow just a six-point game after three quarters.Big stretch coming up for Mr. Basketball Paul and presumably James Harden. – 9:26 PM Noah Levick @NoahLevickSixers down a dozen to the Grizzlies after a half in which Joel Embiid shot 2 for 14 from the floor.James Harden passed Allen Iverson for 26th on the NBA’s all-time scoring list with a 3-pointer late in the second quarter. He’s got a team-high 16 points. – 8:40 PM Damichael Cole @DamichaelCHalftime:Grizzlies lead the 76ers 59-47Desmond Bane scored all of his 21 points in the first quarter. Jaren Jackson Jr. has nine points.Joel Embiid has 9 points and 12 boards on 2-14 shooting, but James Harden has scored 16. Fun game so far. – 8:39 PM Gina Mizell @ginamizellHalftime: Grizzles 59, Sixers 47. After a mostly disastrous half, the Sixers briefly got within single digits before JJJ’s wild make in the final seconds. Sixers are shooting 31.3% from the floor. Harden with 16. Embiid is 2-of-14 from the floor for 9 points but has 12 boards. – 8:38 PM Keith Pompey @PompeyOnSixersJames Harden has passed Allen Iverson for 26th on the NBA all-time scoring list with 24,371 points on a three-pointer late in the half. He’s up to 16 points on the right. – 8:35 PM Dave Early @DavidEarlyDaryl Morey to @RTRSPodcast before year said we want “to do the things in the reg. season consistently, even when they don’t necessarily apply to the team we’re playing, such that we are ready for the playoffs.”But we sure saw plenty of all bench units get cooked here in a 2-3 pic.twitter.com/GdVQpuCQgV – 4:52 PM More on this storyline