NBA MVP candidate Joel Embiid has described himself as a "f***ing monster" and hailed Philadelphia 76ers team-mate James Harden as the playoffs loom large.
The pair sat out Monday's defeat on the road against the Denver Nuggets, with Embiid and Harden nursing minor calf and Achilles injuries respectively, robbing fans of a highly anticipated duel between MVP contenders Embiid and Nikola Jokic.
Regardless of how the voting plays out, with Jokic edging ahead as a minor favourite for his third-straight MVP, the 76ers are heading into the playoffs well-placed as the third seed in the Eastern Conference behind the Boston Celtics and the Milwaukee Bucks. And Embiid has been on a tear in recent weeks, racking up 10 straight 30-point games since the start of March, emulating Shaquille O'Neal as the first centre to do that since the Los Angeles Lakers legend in 2001.
Guard Harden has proven to be a perfect foil for the league's leading scorer (on points per game), averaging 21 points, 11 assists and 6 rebounds himself across 53 games this season, and the pair have struck up great chemistry on the court.
Speaking before the pair sat out Monday's game at Ball Arena, Embiid made clear that rivals have plenty on their plate when they meet in the playoffs.
"I don’t think we’ve ever had to have a conversation," Embiid told The Athletic when asked about his bond with Harden. "I think from the beginning, it was natural. I’d like to believe that I’m a f****** monster. I got a high basketball IQ, and he does too. So when you have two guys that have high basketball IQs, it’s easier to figure things out.
"From the beginning when James came here, one thing about me is I’ve gone away from posting up a lot. I allow James to have the ball in his hands a lot because I believe he’s the best playmaker in the league, and he’s going to make my job easier. He’s going to make my teammates’ jobs easy.
"From the beginning, James has given up a lot. I’ve given up a lot. And it’s worked out great for both of us and the whole team too. We understood we have two guys where you take advantage of what they’re good at. When we put it together, we have a flow. Another thing about it is: When you have two guys that like to play with each other, it makes everything easy."
The Sixers have seven games remaining in the regular season, with the Dallas Mavericks visiting Philly on Wednesday evening. Eye-catching clashes against the Bucks and Celtics follow soon after as Embiid and company try to get one up on their biggest rivals in the East before the playoffs begin.
