NFL
By: Mark T. Wilson
The Philadelphia 76ers will battle the Brooklyn Nets in Round 1 of the NBA playoffs and while they may get by the Nets, it’s that Second Round matchup that has fans worried. Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and James Harden are expected to put up numbers but the 76ers can’t make it further without the services of Tobias Harris.
For the 2022-23 season, Harris was delegated to 4th option on the offensive side of the court with averages of 14.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 2.5 assists while shooting .501 percent from the floor. Harris has modest numbers but he will need to be consistent in the playoffs if the 76ers have a chance to win a title.
One of the main questions heading into the playoffs is should Doc Rivers move Harris to the second unit and replace him with Jalen McDaniels for better scoring with the bench? Dating back to last season, it was Maxey in the same predicament. However, that may not be too bad of a move for Philly.
Will Tobias Harris Be A Difference Maker?
With Rivers stating that he will not go with an all-bench lineup, adding Harris to the second unit will give Rivers an advantage over the Nets and whoever they may face in the Second Round. Before Harden arrived and Maxey made his leap, the 76ers, even with Ben Simmons in tow, relied on Harris for secondary scoring. During the 2020-21 season, Harris averaged 19.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 3.5 assists while hitting .512 percent of his shots.
His production has tailed off a bit but that doesn’t mean that Harris should not be accounted for on the offensive end. The Philadelphia 76ers will go as far as Embiid and Harden take them but they can go further if Harris regains his confidence and stroke. While he’s been more of a perimeter player since the arrival of Harden, Harris still has the ability to put the ball on the floor and get to the rim. His free throws are down as he’s attempting just 1.7 per game but so has his FGA where he’s averaging just 11.4 which is down from the 14 he took last season.
The 76ers need his production. Even off the bench, Harris can still give the 76ers 30+ minutes. This season, he’s at 32.9 but that’s with the first unit. What has plagued the 76ers in the last few playoff appearances has been the production from the 2nd unit. With Maxey firmly next to Harden, the 76ers are set with scoring from their main 3. What they need is solid contributions from guys like Shake Milton, Paul Reed, and De’Anthony Melton.
With defensive players such as PJ Tucker and McDaniels paired with Harden, Maxey, and Embiid, this will give Rivers more options and better rotations if Harris is moved to the bench. This could be a make-or-break playoff for Harris anyway as his name has come up in trade rumors for the past two seasons. If he cannot produce, there is a good chance the front office will look to move him and the one year left he has remaining on his contract.
The Philadelphia 76ers are good and will enter the playoffs as a favorite, again, but without Tobias Harris stepping up to the plate, they could see another early exit. If he plays up to his potential, there is no team that can contend with the 76ers.
