The Philadelphia 76ers are still working out the kinks as shown by their three-game skid to end their road trip, but one thing that continues to be developed is the play of Tobias Harris. The Sixers have continued to work with him to make sure he becomes the player they need him to be.
While Ben Simmons was the story Monday following the loss to the Utah Jazz, Harris also stepped up in a big way scoring 36 points on 14-for-24 shooting and he knocked down three shots from deep. That is the type of performance the team needs from him every night as he continues to make quick decisions with the basketball being aggressive.
“That’s something that Doc (Rivers) says after any game, he says that,” Harris said with a smile. “That’s something for me that I’m always continuing to get better at, being decisive coming off pick-and-rolls, and making quick decisions, smart decisions for the squad.”
Rivers and the team have continued to work with him to get him back to being a guy who will get to the basket at a moment’s notice, so this was another step in the right direction for him.
“That’s who he has to be,” Rivers said. “Straight line, aggressive and powerful. When he plays like that, he’s hard to deal with. I thought he played a very decisive game. Very few indecisive plays. I think he had one that I remembered in front of our bench where he got stuck with the ball, other than that, he’s really keeping the game simple.”
Harris’ work has him averaging a career-high 20.7 points per game, and he is shooting 52% from the floor and he is shooting 42.5% from deep. That is the type of play the team expects from him on a nightly basis. He has the skill and the ability to do so as he can score from all three levels of the game.
“He’s playing with great force,” Rivers added. “He’s scoring from the 3, off the dribble, and the post. He’s doing exactly what we believe he can do. He had 36 tonight. I don’t know if he can do that, but I’m all for it.”
It is unfortunate for Harris and the Sixers that it came in a loss, but this is something he and the rest of the team can learn from and continue to take strides. The important thing is returning home and bouncing back from a tough trip.
“It is a tough loss to take, but all in all, I think that we were out there fighting for each other,” Harris added. “We got to go back home and we have to get a good day of rest and be ready for our next game at home and get on a winning streak here.”
The Sixers are scheduled to face the Houston Rockets on Wednesday.
This post originally appeared on Sixers Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
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