James Harden and Joel Embiid, Who Have Taken 59 Free Throws in 2 Games, Given Brutal Reality Check on Playoffs Basketball

The Philadelphia 76ers appear to have found a boost in confidence after the arrival of James Harden. They now believe that they have a legitimate shot at the title under the leadership of Harden and Embiid. In the two games that the 76ers have played, they have scored a whopping 258 points. Moreover, both these games were emphatic wins for the franchise.

DIVE DEEPER: Shock Waves Across NBA Twitter as James Harden Catches Fire on 76ers Debut Alongside Joel Embiid

During the two games that Harden has played with the Sixers, Embiid and him combined for 127 points out of which 52 points came from free throws alone. In fact, Embiid himself had 40 free throw attempts. Considering the large number of free throws, Marcellus Wiley spoke about the possible success of the duo in the playoffs.

Marcellus Wiley on James Harden and Joel Embiid

During a recent discussion on the ‘SPEAK FOR YOURSELF’ show, Marcellus Wiley shed light on the 76ers duo of Harden and Embiid. He acknowledged the fact that Harden and Embiid were having strong performances and even credited Tyrese Maxey for his recent performances. Thereafter, he spoke about the playoffs and how it could affect the aforementioned free throw shooting.

“What happens in the playoffs when you watch NBA basketball? I know one thing that happens every single time is that the officials start to swallow their whistle,” said Wiley.

“I’ve noticed that there are 40 free throw attempts for Embiid and 19 for Harden. That looks cute until it’s playoff time!” exclaimed Wiley.

Wiley then added that there could be a possibility of Harden not getting foul-called in the playoffs. This is what happened at the beginning of this season. He then questioned the plans of the 76ers.

“What are you guys going to do when the officials take away Plan A?” asked Wiley.

READ MORE: NBA Twitter Trolls Philadelphia 76ers After Surprise Move for Waived Lakers Veteran

Furthermore, he explained that the Brooklyn Nets had the edge in this situation when the referees stop calling fouls so easily. Clearly, Wiley has expressed his concern about the 76ers style of offense. 59 free throw attempts is clearly a huge number in a 2 game span! But Embiid and Harden have always earned a good number of free-throw calls whenever they have played. In fact, Embiid has averaged the highest number of free throws in this season and the 2020-21 season as well.

Regardless, the Sixers will have to be prepared for any situation. With Harden and Embiid, they have the ability to not just score from the free-throw line, but dominate from beyond the arc and inside the paint. Only time will tell what the Sixers outcome will be this season.