The Philadelphia 76ers earned a blowout win over the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday night, but it initially appeared to come at a cost.
Sixers forward Tobias Harris left the game in the second quarter with what was called a right knee contusion and did not return to the contest. Head coach Doc Rivers said after the game the team would put Harris through tests to ensure he did not suffer structural damage.
Fortunately, Harris appears to have avoided structural damage. Shams Charania of The Athletic reported MRIs confirmed Harris merely sustained a contusion.
MRI on 76ers forward Tobias Harris’ right knee showed no structural damage, confirmed a contusion, source tells @TheAthletic @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 26, 2021
Harris has been a vital piece of Philly's success this season, even generating some All-Star buzz.
The 28-year-old is averaging 20.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.4 assists per contest on 51-41-89 shooting splits. Harris' improvement from beyond the arc has been especially important. His ability to be a threat from the perimeter gives the Sixers more spacing, giving Philly the opportunity to maximize Ben Simmons' game and allow Joel Simmons to operate in the post.
Harris will miss at least Saturday's matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers, per Charania.
Tobias Harris will miss Saturday's game against the Cavaliers and be re-evaluated in approximately 48 hours, the 76ers say. https://t.co/3BQBWlPpXh
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 26, 2021
The Sixers have responded to a three-game losing streak by winning four of their last five. They thoroughly dominated the Mavs on Thursday, holding Luka Doncic to just 13 field-goal attempts and seven turnovers. Embiid struggled, but Philly got 14 points and eight rebounds from Dwight Howard off the bench.
Doc Rivers' squad remains the top team in the Eastern Conference. The Sixers can also take solace knowing Harris avoided a serious injury, which would have seriously impacted their status as a top contender.
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