'Unstoppable' duo of Joel Embiid, James Harden use bevy of free throws to roll New York Knicks

NEW YORK — After two games playing alongside James Harden, it took a single word for Joel Embiid to describe how he felt about the way the two superstars are fitting together inside the Philadelphia 76ers' offense.

«Unstoppable,» Embiid said with a smile after finishing with 37 points — including 27 free throw attempts, the most by any player in a single game in nearly three years. He also added nine rebounds and four blocked shots in Philadelphia's 125-109 victory over the New York Knicks here at Madison Square Garden Sunday afternoon.

«What are you really going to do? He's a great passer, and obviously I've got someone [next to me] that attracts a lot of attention to him, so you've got to make a decision. Do you stay on me, or do you stay on him? And if you want to guard both of us with the other guys, now you've got Matisse [Thybulle] diving to the rim or wide open shooters that have got one job to do, and that's make shots. That's all we got to keep doing.

»Like I was saying in the locker room, I'm happy I don't have to post up every single possession, so it's great."

Through those first two games, the results are hard to argue with. Philadelphia is averaging 130 points per game — even after shooting 10-for-33 from 3-point range Sunday — and Embiid and Harden are, predictably, making regular trips to the foul line. The two combined for 22 free throws in Friday's win in Minneapolis over the Timberwolves, and had 37 Sunday against the Knicks. Embiid went 23-for-27 at the line while Harden went a perfect 10-for-10.

Embiid got to the line more than anyone since Anthony Davis also shot 27 free throws in an October 2019 game against the Memphis Grizzlies. It got to the point on Sunday where both New York centers, Mitchell