Coming out of the All-Star break, the Philadelphia 76ers found themselves in a race against time. After shocking the NBA by acquiring James Harden at the trade deadline, they would only have 24 games to fully integrate the former MVP before the postseason.
When a high-level player gets inserted into the lineup like this on the fly, growing pains are expected. Early on, multiple players benefited from Harden's presence and, more importantly, his playmaking. Some of the main standouts include Tyrese Maxey, Georges Niang and Matisse Thybulle.
While several Sixers players seem to quickly mesh with the All-Star guard, there was one who needed a bit more time: Tobias Harris. His adjustment period might have been longer than others, but the veteran forward is starting to hit his stride.
Of all the players in the lineup, it is not surprising Harris struggled adjusting. After being the second option to Joel Embiid at the beginning of the campaign, a new talent entered the fray to assume that position. Along with sharing the floor with another elite scorer, Harris' looks on offense also changed.
Since arriving in Philadelphia, Tobi has always done what is needed to put the Sixers in the best position to succeed. Following the Sixers' win over the Los Angeles Clippers over the weekend, Doc Rivers applauded Harris for his ability to adapt following the trade.
“Tobias is getting more and more comfortable. You can see it. He’s patient, he’s waiting for spots. When he gets them, he’s aggressive, he’s taking them. I think he’s really starting to shoot the ball well and be comfortable in that role,” Rivers said, per Ky Carlin of USA Today.
Last week, fans saw a glimpse of how lethal the new-look Sixers' starting lineup can be. Joel Embiid, James Harden, Tobias Harris and Tyrese Maxey all broke the 20-point mark en route to combining for 95 points in a win over the Los Angeles Lakers. Despite the minimal time to get used to one another, this group is finding ways to keep everyone involved.
When Harris put on an All-Star level campaign last year, his efficiency shooting the ball was arguably the biggest standout. Since Harden entered the lineup, his percentages have slowly gotten back to where they were from 2020-21.
Following the All-Star break, Harris is shooting 38 percent from deep after shooting 34.5 percent prior. The numbers improve even more when looking at their recent stretch. Over his last 10 games, Harris is connecting on 44.4 percent of his threes while attempting close to five a game.
Given the attention Embiid and Harden garner on the floor, open looks have been abundant for those around them. Harris' willingness to take catch-and-shoot threes was up-and-down in previous years, but since the Harden trade, he has taken them with confidence consistently. He is knocking down these looks as well, connecting on 37.1 percent on catch-and-shoot attempts from three over his last 15 outings.
As the start of the playoffs quickly approaches, Harris is one of the biggest X-factors for the Sixers. Based on his recent string of performances, he looks to be peaking at just the right time.