Sixers’ James Harden and Joel Embiid give injury updates following

Health picture still not pristine for Sixers following 50th win originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Neither James Harden nor Joel Embiid gave glowing self-assessments Wednesday night.

Following the Sixers’ victory over the Mavericks, Harden was asked how he felt in his return from a four-game absence with left Achilles soreness.

“I felt OK,” he said. “Towards the end I got a little sore, but I expected that. Just going to try to do the proper things to maintain it and finish these last six games off. … I don’t think it’s going to completely go away, but I’m out there.”

In Harden’s last outing at Wells Fargo Center before Wednesday, he’d shot 2 for 14 from the floor in a double-overtime loss to the Bulls. He was just 4 for 14 against the Mavs, though Harden’s feel for the game did appear to sharpen steadily during his 15-point, 12-assist night.

Harden committed two rusty turnovers by the 8:48 mark of the opening quarter. He had zero turnovers the rest of the evening.

“It’s difficult when you’re not playing 5-on-5,” Harden said. “We really don’t practice, so just 1-on-1s and working out individually is not the same thing as playing in pick-and-rolls where guys are moving fast, switching, in drop coverage and things like that. … With the repetitions that I’ve always put in for these last 14 years, I just go out there and work off basketball instincts.”

As Harden acknowledged at media day this year, passion for basketball has long been a core part of his identity. He was frustrated by a lingering left hamstring issue last season and unaccustomed to physical problems occupying large chunks of his time and energy.

After Harden worked his way back from a right foot tendon strain early this season, everything looked excellent. The 33-year-old was reliably available just like in his prime years with the Rockets and a brilliant, All-Star-caliber lead ball handler. He played in 43 of the Sixers’ next 46 games and averaged 21.6…