The Philadelphia 76ers are sitting at the top seed in the Eastern Conference as they continue on with their season. A huge part of their success is due to the MVP play of big man Joel Embiid, but another big part is due to the strong play of Tobias Harris.
The veteran forward out of Tennessee is having a career season averaging 20.2 points and 7.5 rebounds while shooting 51.5% from the floor and 40% from deep. Those are terrific numbers and worthy of being an All-Star, but instead, he was snubbed from the team.
However, he understands that he should have been in Atlanta on March 7, but it just wasn’t meant to be. The important part is he has the Philadelphia fans back on his side after a tough 2019-20 season.
“That’s been my mentality,” said Harris on Friday. “Was I upset with All-Star? Of course, but I’ve played at an All-Star level night and night out, and listen if Philly fans understand that I’m an All-Star, these are the same fans that probably would escorted me out my house last year. If they understand then I’m good, the Philly fans understand.”
For Harris, this now must serve as motivation for him for the rest of the season. The Sixers need him in order to go deep into the playoffs like they plan to and as long as he continues his play this season, they should be in a good position.
“Me and Doc talked about I just told him ‘look I got a bounty out for coaches I didn’t vote for me, or the national media that skipped over me’,” Harris continued. “It is what it is, but you know me and Doc both discussed, you make your name known in the playoffs and leading his team and being solid and what you do day in and day out.”
Harris is still only 28-years old. He still has a lot of basketball ahead of him if he can continue to stay healthy and keep up his work ethic. The important is, the Sixers are still winning basketball games and that’s all that matters at the end of the day.
“You move on,” Harris finished. “You move on with life and it won’t be the first time I’ll be in contention to be an All-Star, I believe, in my career and that’s how I look at it.”
This post originally appeared on Sixers Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
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