PHILADELPHIA — This past summer, Tobias Harris declared that casual fans of the Philadelphia 76ers would trade him for a Crumbl cookie if given the chance. The veteran forward's illustration of how little fans valued him has only fueled further frustrations amid his recent stretch of poor play.
Harris' latest clunker came in a loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. In Doc Rivers' return to Philly, Harris scored just eight points on 3-11 shooting. His eight rebounds and three blocks didn’t make up for his inefficiency as the 76ers looked helpless on offense aside from what Tyrese Maxey provided. While he did take on the assignment of guarding Giannis Antetokounmpo and did a solid job, it doesn’t excuse the way he was dangerously close to being a total no-show on the other end.
Harris has been propped up as a franchise cornerstone and an All-Star candidate by the 76ers. Expectations for him should be set high yet he doesn’t even reach the modest ones facing him, which are to be aggressive and assertive each and every night. Shots won’t always go in and some games will be better than others but the team simply needs someone to take command each game alongside Maxey. The responsibility that should belong to Harris often evades him.
There’s no other way for the 76ers to work through Harris' struggles other than for him to play better. Taking him out of the starting lineup, let alone the rotation, doesn’t seem like a realistic option. Life is harder without Joel Embiid for everybody but Harris is supposed to be one of the players to step up and take on some of the extra workload.
The need for Harris to get back on track is urgent — and he understands it, as do his teammates and coaches. Nick Nurse said that he has “a variety of things he can do. Still need him to get some stuff in transition as a starter, maybe a putback or two. We got a few sets for him and then he’s gotta play off of stuff coming out to him, too. We need to get him going a little bit.”
Nurse maintained that Harris had a good game in the 76ers' recent game against the Cleveland Cavaliers when he had 15 points, nine rebounds, four assists and two steals in a low-scoring win. But he said that the Bucks' length on defense caused him some problems. Nurse said that the team has to “get the package mixed up a little bit for him” to get him into a rhythm.
Maxey took responsibility for Harris' struggles, explaining that it's on him as the lead guard to get the 76ers organized. Nurse also pointed to disorganization as something the team has to improve on.
Tyrese Maxey on Tobias Harris’ struggles and trying to get him going:
“I think that’s probably on me…I gotta do a better job of getting him better shots and getting him in better spots to be successful.” pic.twitter.com/X6pibYepnq
— Sam DiGiovanni (@BySamDiGiovanni) February 25, 2024
“I think that that's probably on me,” Maxey said. “I gotta get him better shots, get him in a position where he's comfortable. I think that's just a testimony to what Nurse was talking about: you gotta get guys organized, gotta get guys in their right spot. Some plays, I'm just taking plays off — one-pass shots, no-pass shots. I gotta do a better job of getting him better shots and getting him in better spots to be successful.”
Maxey shouldering the blame not only speaks to his sensational leadership but also his belief in both himself and Harris. The All-Star guard surely believes in his ability to lead the 76ers while Joel Embiid recovers, so any player slipping is something he sees as his responsibility — even if that player has nine more years of NBA experience and arrived in Philly well before he did.
It's difficult, Maxey said, to balance how he allows his teammates their freedom to do their thing on top of calling the shots. “I don't think I'm a selfish player, so I try to get other guys involved, try to move off the ball some and let other guys do things and also try to be aggressive as well,” he explained.
Based on his standing on the team, Harris should be relied upon to lead the way with Maxey. He doesn’t necessarily have to be a co-floor general but he does need to take command and lead by example. Whether that’s taking more control on offense or making up for it with impeccable defense and winning plays, Harris has to figure out a way to contribute in the games where his shot doesn’t fall.
There are times when Harris can be very helpful and impactful. He will have random games where he gets going and can power a 76ers win. There are stretches where he looks to have made a meaningful development in his game, like when he was shooting with spectacular volume and efficiency to start last season or began this one doing a great job of getting downhill and right to the hoop. The effective version of Harris is too often a shooting star. The Sixers need him to be a permanent, bright spot of light now as much as they ever have.
As 76ers fans ponder a theoretical selection between semi-sweet chocolate chunk, lemon cheesecake or chocolate cake batter for their cookie, Harris must step up and meet the urgency of this moment for the team.
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