PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia 76ers forward Tobias Harris can do many different things to contribute to a team’s success. He can knock down 3s. He can get to the basket. He can score in the post as the No. 4 guy on the team.
However, it is surprising Harris does not get to the free-throw line more often. He shot 2-for-2 from the line in Sunday’s win over the Washington Wizards. On the season, he’s averaging only 1.7 free throw attempts per game.
Now, most would say that’s due to the fact he is more of a spot-up 3-point shooter, but he does spend time in the paint. He averages 5.4 field goal attempts within 10 feet of the basket per NBA Stats.
Harris plays on the same team as Joel Embiid and James Harden, and both draw a large number of fouls and the benefit of the whistle from the officials. That could be a reason he doesn’t get a great many calls.
“It’s kinda like Jo gets to the free-throw line a lot, drawing fouls,” Harris stated. “So does James so there are opportunities, but I think it does happen, but in the grand scheme of things, they can’t call a foul on every possession down. I think that could be one of the reasons. Not just myself, too, but other guys as well so it’s tough.”
On top of that, Harris does not flop or sell calls at the basket. He always does his best to finish, another probable reason why he doesn’t draw foul calls.
“This has always been a thing in my career because I am bigger than a lot of guys,” he added. “I’m not the greatest flopper or seller of calls because, probably to my own default, but I’ve never been one to sell fouls and (expletive) so that’s another key to it.”
When it comes to the officials, they have a tough job. They have to get every call right while also being under pressure to perform in those situations while having players and coaches scream at them.
Harris is no different as he tries to get an understanding of what he has to do to get a call.
“With all the officials, you go and talk to them when calls are missed,” he explained. “I think, for me, in the course of a game, you have a couple of those drives and the whistle isn’t blown, it becomes harder because through the course of a game, you need those ones to get to the free-throw line and create that flow and that rhythm, but I just also look at it like you gotta go finish no matter what.”
In the end, maybe he just needs to flop a bit better.
“You gotta find a way to finish, but I have that communication with the officials more time than not, it’s like ‘I missed it’ or in the grand scheme of things, you didn’t sell it well enough,” Harris finished. “That’s something I gotta work on as well.”
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