The Philadelphia 76ers have been struggling with a long list of ailments, so Nick Nurse has had to get creative with his lineups. Some have urged Buddy Hield to try the same with another player after he saw a comeback while switching to the second unit. Nurse isn’t prepared to take such action just yet, though.
The play of Tobias Harris has fluctuated throughout the last three weeks. He finished with just two points on 1-for-6 shooting from the field against the New York Knicks on Tuesday, which was the pinnacle of his low point.
Nurse was questioned about the possibility of taking Harris off the bench after the game. The veteran coach responded to the idea in a straightforward and uncomplicated way. Using ClutchPoints, the nurse responded, “Nope, not yet.”
Nurse went on to say that he thought Harris’ outing against the Knicks was a result of the way he was defended that particular evening.
“I believe that a few excellent catch-and-shoot threes were missed. Those are not appropriate. Once more, I believe they did a great job of keeping him from seeing the ball too much. When he did, they were really aggressive and rounded out his drives, and the shots he did get were fiercely disputed, Nurse added.
Harris’s stats are still solid for the entire year. He is averaging 17.2 PPG, 6.3 RPG, and 3.2 APG through 59 games.
The Sixers are right in the middle of the Eastern Conference standings, so their ability to compete in the upcoming weeks will determine their postseason fate. Tyrese Maxey, as a single player, is limited in what he can accomplish when leading the charge. Harris, one of the team’s more seasoned players, needs to get back on track if this group is to survive.