The Sixers are looking like the biggest winners of the NBA trade deadline as the James Harden era started with a bang with their dominant win over the Timberwolves.
The Beard was dazzling in his first game donning a Sixers uniform and he has hit it off with his new superstar partner in Joel Embiid.
Elsewhere, the Heat picked up where they left off by grabbing their second consecutive win to move back on top of the Eastern Conference standings, while the Suns looked like mere mortals in their second game without their veteran point guard.
Read on below as SBOTOP brings you the latest NBA 2022 updates.
James Harden is motivated again
The Sixers got what they wanted in the NBA trade deadline, which is a dynamic playmaker that can mesh well with their MVP candidate Joel Embiid.
The big Cameroonian has been carrying the Sixers on his back all season since Ben Simmons has yet to play, so bringing in a guy like James Harden has brought excitement to Philly fans.
Harden finished with 27 points on 7-for-12 shooting, 5-for-7 from deep, and he registered 12 assists and eight rebounds in their 133-102 victory over the visiting Timberwolves. He showed no signs of rust following the All-Star break and he looks the healthiest he’s been all season.
Embiid also came to play since he had 34 points and 10 rebounds. Meanwhile, Tyrese Maxey added 28 points and four steals while shooting 12-for-16 from the field.
A big key to their win was their assertiveness in the free throw line especially in the opening period. Overall, Harden was 8-for-9 from the charity stripe while Embiid went 11-for-13.
Following a slow start, the Sixers went on a 15-0 run to take a 16-6 advantage and they never trailed since then.
The Timberwolves tried to keep it close and they were able to cut the deficit to only three points in the second quarter. However, the Sixers had another 15-1 run which effectively put the game away in their favour.
Karl-Anthony Towns led Minnesota with 25 points while D’Angelo Russell had 21 in the losing effort for Minnesota.
Heat back on top of the Eastern Conference
By improving to 39-21, the Heat have momentarily claimed the top spot in the Eastern Conference. They overcame RJ Barrett’s career-high 46 points through a solid, balanced team effort to defeat the Knicks 115-100 at home.
Tyler Herro topscored for the Heat with 25 points off the bench while Jimmy Butler added 23. Kyle Lowry had 19 points and nine rebounds while Bam Adebayo finished with 16 points, 16 rebounds, and four blocks.
New York jumped to a 10-0 lead after Miami missed their first six shots. The Heat eventually fought back and Tyler Herro’s three-pointer cut their deficit to two points after the first period.
Everything changed come the second quarter as the Heat claimed the advantage and never looked back. The Knicks were within one late in the third, but the Heat opened the final period with an 11-5 run to go up double digits.
RJ Barrett did all he could but his best outing as a pro would have been even better if not for his 14-for-22 free throw shooting.
With Barrett scoring majority of the Knicks’ points, the Heat focused on limiting his other teammates’ production and it worked, especially since their first option in Julius Randle only had 11 points on 2-for-15 shooting.
New York have now lost their fourth consecutive match and slipped to 25-35, and their NBA 2022 odds of making it back to the postseason has decreased significantly.
Suns are adjusting to life without Chris Paul
The Suns’ second game sans Chris Paul ended in a shocking 117-102 loss to the Pelicans, putting an end to their eight-game win streak.
After a close first half, a 42-31 third quarter was all the Pelicans needed to put the Suns away for their first victory since the All-Star break.
Chris Paul fractured his thumb against the Rockets on February 16 and he’s expected to be sidelined for the rest of the regular season though the team is hopeful that he’ll be back in time for another deep playoff run.
Devin Booker has been assigned to be Phoenix’s starting PG even though that isn’t his natural role. The said strategy worked during their win over the Thunder on Thursday when he finished with 25 points, 12 assists, and six steals. However, despite scoring 30 today, his efforts were nullified by CJ McCollum and Brandon Ingram – who have combined for 60 points for New Orleans.
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