PHILADELPHIA (AP) β James Harden and the 76ers watched plenty of their bad plays on film during recent practices. The clips magnified the results on the court.
βI felt like we were 0-82,β Harden said.
They donβt have to worry about that now.
Harden had 29 points and 11 assists, and Joel Embiid scored 26 points to lead the Philadelphia 76ers to their first win of the season, 120-106 over the Indiana Pacers on Monday night.
The Sixers started 0-3, dropping the first two games to Eastern Conference contenders Boston and Milwaukee. Embiid dropped 40 points in a loss to San Antonio as the Sixers still joined Orlando as the only East teams at 0-3.
βWeβve got to continue to work, continue to build really good habits and live with the results,β Harden said.
Harden made 10 of 18 shots from the floor and hit two straight 3s in the fourth that pushed the lead to 109-95.
βIβm trying to create the best shot available,β Harden said.
The Sixers put the smack down on the Pacers from the jump and a little bit of something from everyone to cruise into the win column. The Sixers had six players each hit one 3-pointer in the first quarter. They made 12 of 22 shots in the second and raced to a 19-point lead. Harden and Tobias Harris combined for nine of Philadelphiaβs 19 3-pointers.
βWe have a team that can shoot 3s, right? if youβre open, shoot them,β Rivers said.
Harris hit four 3s and scored 18 points.
βPeople donβt talk about Tobias Harris enough,β Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. βHeβs a tremendous player.β
Tyrese Haliburton led the Pacers with 19 points and 10 assists. Buddy Hield had 18 points.
The good news for Philly, the Sixers didnβt need much out of Embiid. The reigning NBA scoring champion, Embiid said over the weekend his offseason were slowed by a battle of plantar fasciitis (pain under the heel and foot). Embiid said he essentially shut down all physical activity for two months headed into training camp and said he was still βtrying to work my way back.β
He threw down a thunderous right-handed baseline dunk late in the third that woke up a quiet crowd.
βI liked his patience,β Rivers said. βThis is one of those games, you havenβt won a game, they were trapping him every time. He just kept moving it. There was no rush. I just liked how he approached the game.β
The good news for the Sixers, their slow start was lost in the Philly sports shuffle among the Phillies trip to the World Series, the Eaglesβ 6-0 start and…
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