Philadelphia 76ers forward Tobias Harris took a really hard fall in the third quarter after getting tangled up with Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum and he slammed his head on the ground. He immediately started bleeding and he went back to the locker room and that could have easily been it for him.
After all, he had been struggling all series, and the Boston Celtics were on a big run to seize control of the game. It was a wrap at that moment. Instead, Harris returned to finish the game for the Sixers despite a left eye laceration and he scored a couple of buckets with his injury.
After not showing any signs of a concussion, he was given the green light to return and he explained why afterward.
“Just because I could,” he said. “I felt OK enough to get back out there and just try to do something to help us try to win. I’d rather go down with my guys than sitting in the back so that was the main reason why.”
He then explained his injury and that it was not just his head, it affected his ribs as well.
“It was a hard fall for sure,” he explained. “I got stitched up and my ribs are kind of affected, but the big thing is how I’m going to be feeling tomorrow morning. I’m hoping and praying for the best.”
Harris has continued to morph into a leader for Philadelphia so this was not a surprise for coach Brett Brown.
“It’s what we all have known him to be,” explained Brown. “He has emerged to be a very consistent leader all over the place. He’s a high character, he’s got way out in front of the racial injustice platforms that we have discussed amongst ourselves as a team. His voice in a locker room, his voice on a bus, team meetings, team dinners, whatever, him coming back out after he took an incredibly hard fall did not surprise me.”
For Harris and the Sixers, their season is now over, but he did endear himself to the city of Philadelphia and he showed off his toughness and commitment to the franchise. Now, the offseason is here after a disappointing finish to the season. [lawrence-related id=37123,37116,37117]