Sixers not named Simmons or Embiid who will win games

Sixers not named Simmons or Embiid who will win games: Tobias Harris

A lot of Philly fans who were bearish on Tobias Harris since his max contract signing are now starting to see his worth. Without Harris in game one, the 76ers would have surely lost the game. The scoring he put up while Joel Embiid was in foul trouble was essential to keeping the Wizards from taking a significant lead.

So, what can Harris do to give Philadelphia a win in the playoffs when Embiid and Simmons are not pulling their weight? Simple. Putting the ball in the hoop has been the strength of Tobias Harris. During this past regular season, Harris scored 20 or more points in 32 games. In that sample, the 76ers went 24-8. Some other impressive stats include his shooting percentages.

From the start of the season up to the start of the playoffs, Harris shot 51.2 percent from the field. He also shot 39.4 percent from the 3-point line and 89.2 percent from the free throw line. These numbers are more than impressive. They are almost elite.

You can nitpick at the idea that he should be scoring six more points per game to justify his $33.5 million dollar salary this season, but you do not have to because Harris has proven that he is a more than capable secondary scorer for the Sixers.

Don’t forget that Harris has ice in his veins when he needs to step up in crunch time. If you watched the Sixers/Lakers game in January, you saw first hand how Harris took the last shot and lifted the 76ers to victory. He had 24 points in that game by the way.

In his five playoff series, Harris is only averaging 16 points per game. Yet, one must remember that this is a new year under a new regime. Where Brett Brown failed to establish a sound scoring system with Harris, Embiid, Simmons, and Butler, this year brings much more stable sets in the offense thanks to Doc Rivers. It has been mentioned many times how reuniting Rivers with his former player has helped Harris flourish once again.

If Doc Rivers needs to lean on him in any game during the playoffs due to Simmons and Embiid being ineffective for whatever reason, Harris will do so as one of the true leaders of this team.