CAMDEN, N.J. — As the Philadelphia 76ers enter the playoffs, they know what they will get out of Joel Embiid and James Harden. Those two are the catalysts for the team.
It is the other guys that have to step up and play their parts in this playoff run. Tobias Harris, for example, will have many eyes on him as he begins his fifth playoffs with Philadelphia.
On the season, Harris was a very solid and consistent piece for the Sixers, averaging 14.7 points and 5.7 rebounds while shooting 38.9% from deep. On a few nights, he didn’t get much of an opportunity, but coach Doc Rivers isn’t worried about Harris.
“We’re not worried about it,” Rivers said at practice on Thursday. “We just want Tobias to be efficient. It’s tough sometimes when you’re the fourth guy. There’s gonna be a night in this playoffs when Tobias is gonna have a big game, and I really believe that. I guarantee it, but then there’s gonna be a night where he plays great and has six shots. Does that mean he didn’t get going? Or did that mean he didn’t get a lot of shots? He wasn’t involved, but we scored 130.”
Harris receives a lot of criticism and is viewed much differently than the other role players due to his max contract. The veteran out of Tennessee is making star money, but he isn’t putting up star numbers mainly because he plays on a team with Embiid, Harden and Tyrese Maxey. He’s the fourth option on a team with title aspirations.
“For Tobias, we just got to get him to keep playing on those nights, and I think overall, honestly, for him, I think he’s done that, but I have to say, for him, that’s not easy, because he’s judged sometimes,” Rivers added. “He’s a max contract guy, right? So we look at his numbers, but we look at it interiorly like he’s doing everything we’ve asked him to do, and we’re happy with that.”
In the 2022 playoffs, Harris averaged 16.9 points and 7.6 rebounds while shooting 50% from the floor and 38.6% from deep. He also provided solid perimeter defense and if he can provide that during this run, then the Sixers are going to be in a good position even if his numbers aren’t max contract worthy.
“It’s tough for a fan of someone to be happy with that and I get that,” Rivers finished. “You got to be a hell of a guy to be able to take that and Tobias, I think overall, he’s really handled it well.”
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