PHILADELPHIA — There was a nervous power all through the Wells Fargo Middle on Saturday night because the Philadelphia 76ers ready to play Recreation 1 of their first-round playoff collection in opposition to the Toronto Raptors.
The Sixers have star energy that ought to overwhelm most different groups, however their stars have had hassle within the playoffs earlier than. Joel Embiid, who led the N.B.A. in factors per sport in the course of the common season, has by no means been previous the second spherical of the playoffs. James Harden, who gained the league’s Most Invaluable Participant Award in 2017-18, has not been previous the convention finals since he reached the N.B.A. finals with the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder in 2012.
Did followers within the constructing dare hope that this workforce may win the franchise’s first championship since 1983?
Might Harden and Embiid come collectively rapidly sufficient, regardless of having performed solely 21 regular-season video games collectively?
The 76ers beat the Raptors, 131-111, avoiding the pitfalls which have ensnared them earlier than in opposition to Toronto. They outrebounded the Raptors. They dedicated only one turnover within the sport’s first 44 minutes. Recreation 1 provided hope.
However hope has its limits. If they’re to show that this group can succeed the place previous variations failed, the 76ers should construct on Saturday evening’s efficiency. The stress on Embiid and Harden didn’t dissipate with the win.
“It’s just one sport,” Embiid stated, repeatedly, throughout his postgame information convention.
Embiid scored 19 factors and grabbed 15 rebounds. Harden scored 22 factors and had 14 assists. However the true star of the sport for the 76ers was Tyrese Maxey, who scored 38 factors, making 14 of his 21 shot makes an attempt.
Late within the third quarter, Harden noticed Maxey beating the Raptors down the court docket and grabbed the ball with each palms to throw Maxey a wonderfully positioned bounce move that went practically three-quarters the size of the court docket. Maxey caught it and scored with a reverse layup.
That play provided an instance of the 21-year-old guard’s worth to Philadelphia.
“He’s like the right participant,” Harden stated earlier than commending Maxey’s capability to benefit from instances when he and Embiid drew a number of defenders.
Maxey couldn’t cease smiling as he checked out for the final time. He sat on the bench with the scoreboard digital camera mounted on him as the group chanted his title time and again. After the sport, although, he didn’t bask within the adulation.
“The one factor I’m going to recollect is us successful,” Maxey stated. “That’s all that issues at this level. Now that is in my rearview mirror.”
The group erupted with what felt like a mix of pleasure and aid — Philadelphia’s efficiency eased the strain within the constructing. However there remained an acute consciousness that successful Recreation 1 doesn’t imply you’ll win the collection.
Harden is aware of what it’s wish to lose a collection after successful its first sport. In truth, it’s occurred to him previously two seasons. Final yr, his Nets gained Recreation 1 of a second-round collection in opposition to Milwaukee earlier than dropping the collection in seven video games. Two years in the past, his Rockets gained Recreation 1 of a second-round collection in opposition to the Lakers earlier than dropping the subsequent 4 video games.
Truthful or not, this postseason would be the begin of a referendum on the workforce that has been assembled in Philadelphia.
The Sixers changed Ben Simmons, who was the primary general choose within the 2016 draft, with Harden in a commerce in February.
Instantly after the commerce, the 76ers began beating up on their opponents. They gained the primary sport Harden performed for them, beating the Minnesota Timberwolves by 31 factors. Harden scored 27, and when he was within the sport, the 76ers outscored the Timberwolves.
Philadelphia’s hiccups since Harden’s arrival, although, have been regarding. The Sixers misplaced to the Nets by 29 factors within the first sport between the groups because the commerce. They misplaced twice to the Raptors within the ultimate month of the season.
Simmons has not performed for the Nets but, however one may argue that the Nets are higher poised to make a run within the playoffs than Philadelphia, regardless of being the seventh seed within the East, due to Kyrie Irving and the transcendent expertise of Kevin Durant.
Harden was not significantly environment friendly in opposition to the Raptors on Saturday. He made 6 of 17 photographs and solely 2 of 10 2-pointers. He made his affect in aiding his teammates.
“I don’t suppose we’ve seen actually what he can do,” Embiid stated. “However he was comfy tonight: made the appropriate performs, discovered guys, went to the road a pair instances regardless that they weren’t calling all his fouls for him. But it surely was good to see him aggressive.”
Coach Doc Rivers agreed that Harden appeared comfy within the offense.
“You might inform. You might see it on the market,” Rivers stated. “He referred to as performs himself.”
Rivers attributed that partly to his choice to simplify the workforce’s playbook and concentrate on the few performs he knew they may run effectively.
Maxey’s contributions had been additionally important to their plan. He sat on the rostrum subsequent to Harden Saturday evening and revealed a mischievous grin as Harden spoke about his postseason experiences.
“I’ve been within the playoffs 13 years,” Harden stated.
Maxey interjected to name him previous.
“Sorry,” Maxey stated, as if he had been a baby caught misbehaving, earlier than trying away after which smiling on the 32-year-old Harden once more.
“I simply needed to play effectively,” Harden stated. “I needed to individually be certain that I’m doing the appropriate issues, do what’s vital for our workforce to win. Tonight I really feel like individually I had an OK sport, however that’s what you bought an important workforce for.”
For Recreation 1 the 76ers acquired what they wanted, however there’s no assure that the identical system will probably be sufficient because the playoffs progress — and even as this collection strikes to Recreation 2 on Monday.
