RealGM Basketball Wiretap

01 April 2023

• James Harden Has Been Dealing With Achilles Soreness For 'Some Months'

  Following the Philadelphia 76ers victory over the Dallas Mavericks, James Harden addressed his recent absences due to left Achilles soreness. The Sixers guard said it's something he's been dealing with for longer than previously known.

  "I don't know where it came from. It's been bothering me for some months, I would say," Harden said. "I just wanted to continue to play on it, and there was one point to where the last game I played, [it was] just really unbearable so I couldn't even go out there."

  Harden was spotted limping off the court following the 76ers overtime loss to the Chicago Bulls on March 21. The star guard then missed Philadelphia's next four games. Harden said the injury is something he'll be monitoring for the remainder of the season.

  "After the game, I went into the weight room and did some tendon-loading and things like that, for the Achilles, my lower body, my calves, things like that," Harden said. "Tomorrow I'll do something, after the game [against Toronto], Friday I'll do something, it's just making sure I'm on it."

• Joel Embiid Has Narrow Lead Over Nikola Jokic In Final MVP Straw Poll

  Joel Embiid has a narrow lead over Nikola Jokic in ESPN's final MVP straw poll for the 22-23 season.

  Embiid has 790 total points to Jokic's 788, but Jokic has 42 first place votes compared to 40 for Embiid.

  Embiid finished in second place on 45 ballots, six more than Jokic.

  Giannis Antetokounmpo received 18 first place votes, 15 second place votes and 64 third place votes.

  Rounding out the top-5 are Jayson Tatum and Luka Doncic. Tatum appears to have a firm grasp on the fourth spot, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Domantas Sabonis as threatening Jokic for the fifth spot.

• James Harden Looking To Return This Week At Home

  James Harden is targeting a return to the Philadelphia 76ers lineup sometime this week, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

  Wojnarowski adds that Harden, who has missed four straight games due to a sore Achilles, is looking to return for a home game.

  Joel Embiid also missed Monday night's 116-111 loss to the Nuggets due to a sore right calf.

• Joel Embiid Ruled Out For Monday Game Against Nikola Jokic, Nuggets

  Joel Embiid has been ruled out of Monday's game against Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets due to a calf injury.

  Embiid attempted to work out on Monday morning, but the Philadelphia 76ers decided to take a precautionary approach with the team playing their third game in four days.

  James Harden, however, is on track to return to the Philadelphia lineup.

  Embiid, Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo are considered the three favorites for MVP and Monday's game was expected to have extra significance in the race.

• Joel Embiid: Just About Winning, Winning, Winning

  Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid touched on a lot of subjects in a wide-ranging interview with Shams Charania of The Athletic. Embiid said this is the best he's ever felt this late in a season, that his foot feels better and, of course, he talked about the MVP race.

  Embiid said he no longer cares about winning MVP as much as he once did. For him, the goal is different now.

  "What matters - it's just about winning, winning, winning. I've been focused on that. We've been doing that. Whatever happens, happens. If I win MVP, good. If I don't, it's fine with me," Embiid said.

  The Sixers center also said he agrees with Giannis Antetokounmpo that the criteria to be MVP seemingly changes from year to year.

  "The criteria does change. If we want to talk about the last three years since I've been in the running for it, the first year it was that I didn't play enough games. Last year, I came back, I played enough games, I led the league in scoring, and obviously, Nikola deserved it and he won it. But then again, he won as a sixth seed in the West. And then this year, I'm leading the league in scoring, I'm doing all of these things defensively... I should be making an All-Defensive team too," Embiid said.

  "I don't care, but every year it's something. And when you add analytics into it, which don't make sense. You can talk about analytics all you want. When you got some guys in the league, the eye test tells you that they're not good defensively, but analytics tell you they're the best defenders. That's when analytics don't make sense at all. I don't make the rules, I don't choose whatever criteria that they use, so it's really about whatever people's preferences are."

• James Harden Out For 2nd Straight Game With Achilles Soreness

  James Harden missed his second straight game on Friday due to left Achilles soreness.

  Doc Rivers believes Harden's Achilles started bothering him before Monday's game.

  "It definitely was bothering him in that game," Rivers said. "And... if this was a normal playoff game, James would be playing. But we're just not going to do that right now. So we decided, especially now with guys, if they show something, they're out."

  Harden could play on Saturday night at the Phoenix Suns though it could wait until Monday's game at the Denver Nuggets.

  "Probably a bigger chance against Denver," said Harden. "We're hoping on this road trip. Usually, when you bring guys on the trip, that means you think he may play."

• Joel Embiid, Domantas Sabonis Named NBA's Players Of The Week For 2nd Straight Week

  Joel Embiid and Domantas Sabonis have been named the NBA's Players of the Week for the second straight week.

  Embiid averaged 35.0 points, 12.7 rebounds and 3.3 blocks as the Philadelphia 76ers went 3-0.

  Sabonis averaged 22.8 points, 16.0 rebounds and 10.0 assists as the Sacramento Kings went 3-0.

• Joel Embiid Becomes Odds-On Favorite To Win NBA MVP

  Joel Embiid has moved from a 2-1 underdog to an odds-on favorite to be NBA Most Valuable Player this season.

  The odds began to shift on Tuesday when the Brooklyn Nets beat the Denver Nuggets.

  By Thursday, Jokic and Embiid were co-favorites at Caesars, but Embiid is the outright favorite at other sportsbooks such as DraftKings and PointsBet.

  Over the past week at Caesars Sportsbook, 85% of the bets and 79% of the money wagered on the MVP market has been on Embiid.
• Domantas Sabonis, Joel Embiid Named NBA's Players Of The Week

  Domantas Sabonis and Joel Embiid have been named the NBA's Players of the Week for Week 21.

  Sabonis averaged 20. points, 10.7 rebounds and 8.3 assists as the Sacramento Kings went 3-0.

  Embiid averaged 38.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.8 blocks as the Philadelphia 76ers went 4-0.

• Mac McClung Named G League Player Of The Week

  Mac McClung has been named NBA G League Player of the Week for games played Monday, Feb. 27 through Sunday, March 5.

  The 2023 Slam Dunk champion averaged 28.7 points, 4.3 assists and 1.7 steals in three games for the Delaware Blue Coats (3-0).

  McClung is on a Two-Way contract with the Philadelphia 76ers.