Getty Tobias Harris has been the X-factor for the Sixers, especially his defense against Pascal Siakam.
Joel Embiid made the game-winning shot to stun the Toronto Raptors in Game 3. It was a designed play coming out of a timeout, one that quieted a rather obnoxious Canadian fan base. But Embiid’s heroics might have been secondary to the job Tobias Harris did defending Pascal Siakam. He was the “unsung hero,” according to Sixers head coach Doc Rivers.
The box score showed Harris had 11 points and 12 rebounds in 47 minutes. Rewind the game tape and study his movements. The 6-foot-8 forward matched Siakam’s minutes and shadowed him all night, holding the Raptors star to just 12 points on 6-of-16 shooting from the floor.
It was a master class from a guy who doesn’t always get the credit he deserves. Harris also set the screen that freed up Embiid for that dagger triple to win it.
“The unsung hero, I don’t even know what he scored, but Tobias Harris tonight was unbelievable,” Rivers told reporters. “He was all over the floor defensively, he did so many little things, set the last pick of the game, he was fantastic.”
Tobias Harris with a filthy dribble-move on Siakam here. Where was this?!
Embiid was quick to praise Harris’ performance, specifically his steal and block on Gary Trent Jr. in the final 2:25 of overtime. It looked like he was producing the basketball version of “Locked Up Abroad” with his suffocating defense on the Raptors’ sharpshooter.
“Man, he’s been great,” Embiid said of Harris. “He’s been doing a great job on Pascal — although Pascal would probably tell you he hates when I guard him — anyway, he’s been doing an amazing job on him, really whoever he’s guarding. He had a block or a steal on Trent in overtime. He had a couple of key stops.
“He’s been doing that all series. And, obviously, his offensive game. Like I said, he’s decisive — catches the ball whether he goes up to shoot the ball or he’s going to make a play and get off of it he’s not trying to do too much. He’s been making huge plays.”
Tobias Harris puts Gary Trent Jr. in hell for the big stop
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Foul Trouble Forces Shorter Sixers’ Rotations
The absence of Matisse Thybulle — he’s ineligible to play in Toronto since he’s not fully vaccinated — had already messed up Rivers’ rotations heading into Game 3. Then foul trouble forced the Sixers to use an even shorter bench on Wednesday night.
Rivers ran out an 8-man rotation: Joel Embiid, Danny Green, James Harden, Tyrese Maxey, Tobias Harris, Georges Niang, Shake Milton, Paul Reed. The strategy may sound flawed but it worked. Why did he do it?
“Difficult, number one, without Matisse,” Rivers said. “And Furk [Korkmaz] is a guy we have no issues playing so we were going to put him in and we will if we need to. The foul trouble killed us. James and Danny were in foul trouble, that killed our rotation.
“And so we had to extend minutes probably to a point we didn’t want to. But I think Tobias had to go on the floor for about 3 minutes when Pasc [Siakam] was not on the floor, that was not in our plans but we had no choice.”
Danny Green’s teammates putting him in check
Green picked up four fouls early, then Harden fouled out with 27 seconds left in the fourth quarter. Embiid and Maxey were also dealing with three fouls apiece late in the game.
Can’t Take Your Foot Off the Gas
All the momentum has shifted to Philadelphia, with a series sweep on the horizon for the Sixers. That should make for a pretty desperate Toronto team in Game 4. The Raptors were the more physical team in Game 3 and Rivers expects another dogfight on the road at Scotiabank Arena on Saturday afternoon.
“It’s the playoffs, you gotta expect the other team’s best,” Rivers said. “You know, you really do. You gotta expect them to make the putt and then you gotta win anyway. That’s gotta be our mindset.”
The 76ers:
• Didn’t lead at all in regulation
• Turned the ball over 24 times
• Played OT without Harden (fouled out)
They still found a way to win.
