PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia 76ers were able to knock off the Charlotte Hornets on Friday 121-114 to snap a two-game skid. They were able to do so thanks to the strong play of Tobias Harris.
After what has been a miserable stretch for the usually efficient and reliable forward, Harris busted out of his slump on Friday. He had 31 points on 13-for-19 shooting with 12 rebounds and four assists. He shot 5-for-8 from deep and gave the Sixers a big boost all night long.
It helped that Joel Embiid talked with Harris to remind him who he is and to get back to playing his game.
“It was extremely helpful,” Harris said of the conversation with Embiid. “I think you guys notice, some people don’t, but Joel has a very intelligent basketball mind and how he sees the game and what he sees. He’s been with me here the longest out of anybody in this whole group. He’s seen ups and downs in my game and has seen me at my best and me at my worst, but we had a great conversation, and at the end of the day, he just said, ‘You had a rough seven-game stretch. Not 70 games.’”
Harris is correct about Embiid being with him for a long time. Harris was acquired by the Sixers at the 2019 deadline. He and the big fella have been teammates throughout his time in Philadelphia so Embiid knows when to step in.
“He’s like, ‘You’re just figuring out ways. It’s a new group. Figuring out ways that you can be at your best,” Harris continued. “He gave me a few advice on how I can figure out how to continue just go out there and play and be efficient for the group and another he said like you’re not out there saving lives. It’s basketball. Enjoy it and figure it out. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself.”
It also doesn’t help that the Sixers weren’t winning games. For a team like the Sixers who have such high expectations, with Harris struggling the way he was combined with the team not winning games, it makes for a lot of criticism and that didn’t make things any easier for him.
“Everything does get magnified in a short span when we’re not winning games and you’re not playing your best basketball efficiency-wise and energy-wise for the group,” Harris added. “Those are the things that I took from that and was able to really come out here and kind of control some things that I could control out there like going out and rebounding, being a big presence on the boards, and figuring out ways just to pick the whole group up from time to time and that was successful tonight and just have to carry that on to the next game.”
The Sixers need Harris to continue to play at this level in order to remain successful. They take on the Dallas Mavericks on the road on Sunday.
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