When the Philadelphia 76ers traded for James Harden in the middle of the 2021-22 season, some people around the league likened his and Joel Embiid’s partnership to that of famed Los Angeles Lakers duo Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant.
Apparently, O’Neal is not a fan of the comparison. He took to Instagram to state that there is only one “superduo.”
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The Sixers recently saw their season come to an end after getting eliminated in the second round of the playoffs. The Miami Heat defeated them in six games. They also made life difficult for both Embiid and Harden.
Embiid, who sat out the first two games of the series due to injury, averaged 19.8 points and 9.8 rebounds per game. Those numbers were well below his standard production. In the regular season, he posted averages of 30.6 points and 11.7 rebounds per contest.
As for Harden, Philadelphia likely saw him as the team’s missing piece in its quest to reach the top of the East. After all, the 32-year-old has been one of the most prolific offensive players in recent years.
However, Miami’s defense proved to be too much for Harden. He recorded just 18.2 points and 7.0 assists per game and shot 40.5 percent from the field during the series.
Clearly, Embiid and Harden still have a long way to go if they want to succeed like O’Neal and Bryant did.
The Lakers’ legendary twosome helped the franchise win three consecutive titles from 2000 to 2002. Fans can only wonder if L.A. could have raised more championship banners if the former teammates were able to work out their differences and play together for a longer time.
