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Focused on being a facilitator, less has been more for James Harden and Sixers

While injured, the Sixers guard figured out how to mesh with Joel Embiid and incorporate his teammates.

James Harden (1) altered his game since returning from injury in December.
James Harden (1) altered his game since returning from injury in December.Read moreNell Redmond / AP

CHARLOTTE — The 76ers’ fortunes changed thanks to James Harden altering his style of play after his return from injury in December.

The team transformed from one of the NBA’s biggest underachievers to its hottest team. And Joel Embiid went from having the fourth- or fifth-best MVP odds to becoming the frontrunner.

The Sixers had a 12-11 record when Harden returned on Dec. 5 after missing 14 games with a strained tendon in his right foot. Things didn’t go well in his first game back. He had 21 points and seven assists, but shot just 4-for-19 with seven turnovers while overdribbling in the 132-123 double-overtime road loss to the Houston Rockets.

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But since then, his decision making has improved as he’s become more of a facilitator than scorer.

As a result, the Sixers have been the league’s best team since Dec. 9, Harden’s second game back. After Saturday night’s 141-121 victory over the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the Sixers improved to 48-22 with a league-best 36-10 record since that loss to the Rockets And the Eastern Conference’s second-place team had the NBA’s best active winning streak at eight. Harden (left foot recovery) and P.J. Tucker (sore left ankle) missed Saturday’s game.

But before Harden’s injury, the consensus was his pairing with Embiid didn’t mix.

That’s because Harden was ball-dominant and had made a career of thriving in isolation plays. Meanwhile, Embiid was his best when the Sixers played through him. As a result, he was mostly out of sync and displayed poor body language playing alongside Harden.

But while injured, Harden looked for a way to bring the Sixers closer together and implemented it upon his return.

“Whether it was scoring,” he said, ”whether it was me being a playmaker, whether it was being a leader, all the above. Whatever it takes, just to go out there and do it, and do it the best way I know how to do it.

“I think that’s been the key.”

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Harden doesn’t care if he scores just 11 points like he did in a triple-double performance in Friday’s 121-82 victory over the Charlotte Hornets at the Spectrum Center. Nor does it matter if he scores 38 points like he had in March 4′s 133-130 victory over Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum.

He decided to impact the game in any way possible, while making sure his teammates are involved.

“Obviously, Joel is going to do what he does,” Harden said. “Making sure Tobias [Harris] and Tyrese [Maxey] and Georges [Niang] and our shooters get their shots.

“You get that feeling from everybody and everybody clicking like that, which is why rhythm [is] going to be key for us in the playoffs.”

» READ MORE: Dominating both ends of the court, Sixers’ Joel Embiid should dethrone Nikola Jokić as MVP

Embiid has been the biggest beneficiary of Harden’s selfless play since his return. The six-time All-Star center averaged a league-best 33.5 points heading into Saturday’s game.

But he averaged 31.9 points on 51.4% shooting – including making just 27.8% of his three-pointers – in games through Dec. 5. Since Dec. 9, Embiid has averaged 34.2 points on 55.7% shooting, including making 39.1% of his three-pointers.

For his part, Harden is the league leader in assists at 10.8 per game. So he’s thriving in a role that has changed the Sixers season for the better.