The 76ers have the NBA buzzing after adding forward Tobias Harris to an already potent lineup at the trade deadline, but it’s too early to compare them to the Warriors, according to LeBron James.
James should know better than anyone. Before joining the Lakers this season, he faced Golden State in the NBA Finals four years straight as a member of the Cavaliers, winning once. His absence in the East initiated a scramble for power, and the 76ers are poised to make the most of their opportunity. James said it will take some time before Philadelphia is at the Warriors’ level.
“It’s two different teams, two different makeups,” James said, according to Martin Frank of The Delaware News Journal. “Golden State is a well-oiled machine and they’ve been that for the last five years. They’ve added [Durant], and he’s fit in perfectly. This [76ers] team has been together for a couple of years, but they’ve added some key pieces to their team just recently.
“You talk about Jimmy, you talk about Tobias now. We’ll have to see. No one knows. We can’t compare any team right now to Golden State because they’ve just been together for so long.”
76ers starters Ben Simmons, J.J. Redick, Harris, Jimmy Butler and Joel Embiid don’t have championship experience like the Warriors, so it does stand to reason they’ll need some time rival Golden State. But they may not be far behind.
The Warriors themselves are in the midst of an adjustment. Center DeMarcus Cousins is still being implemented into the lineup. Acquired before the season began, he made his debut Jan. 18. Golden State has won 15 of their last 16, but according to Steph Curry, they have work to do before they can perform at a championship level.
“Honestly, with DeMarcus in the starting lineup, there’s still a feeling out process about how we’re all trying to take advantage of certain possessions,” Curry said after a close win over the Suns, according to The Athletic’s Anthony Slater. “Even defensive chemistry. But we do have to get better, impose our will in that first six minutes.”
The Warriors’ starting lineup was minus-22 in that narrow win over Phoenix on Friday. But their immense talent has helped them continue their winning ways, and their unselfish style of play will continue to help considerably in implementing Cousins.
As for the 76ers, they too are unselfish, and that will aid them tremendously as well. They’re third in the NBA in assists, behind only the Warriors and Nuggets, per pro basketball reference.
And the only team to beat the Warriors in the last 16 tries was, you guessed it, the 76ers. They’ve since added Harris, which explains all the excitement surrounding the team. James doesn’t think they’re ready to challenge Golden State, but if they make it through the Eastern Conference and into the Finals, they’ll be a handful for the Warriors, the clear favorite in the West.
