The headline of the Philadelphia 76ers Recreation 3 win over the Toronto Raptors will deservedly go to Joel Embiid after the big fella knocked down a game-winner in overtime to offer Philly a 3-0 lead.
Misplaced in that essential story is the job Tobias Harris (11 factors, 12 rebounds on 4-9 taking pictures from the sector) did in springing Embiid free with a display. Harris additionally held Raptors star Pascal Siakam to simply 12 factors on 6-16 taking pictures from the sector, all within the first half. A lot fewer than the 30 factors per sport he averaged towards the Sixers through the common season.
“The unsung hero, I don’t know what he scored, however Tobias Harris tonight was unbelievable,” mentioned coach Doc Rivers per Sixerswire. “All around the flooring defensively, he did so many little issues. He set the final decide of the sport, he was implausible.”
Harris has held Siakam to 24 factors (9-18 taking pictures from the sector) in Recreation 1 and 20 (7-20 taking pictures from the sector) in Recreation 2. Coach Doc rivers mentioned that Harris’s job has been all of the extra spectacular since Harris nonetheless has the power to contribute meaningfully throughout crunch time of shut video games like Recreation 3.
“Simply having the ability to slide and be bodily,” he mentioned. “This can be a bodily staff. They’ve drivers, they’ve guys who’re used to bullying guys. This can be a forward-based staff. These guys are robust and have size to get downhill, and I simply use that very same factor towards them in all these performs.”
The previous Tennessee product additionally made certain to ascertain that he enjoys these sorts of matchups and having the ability to lower off his matchups water when the Sixers want a cease.
“I delight myself on not letting guys blow by me or whatnot and having the ability to guard my yard, that’s what I name it,” he mentioned. “Any time I’m ready to try this, I do know if I obtained a man dribbling three or 4 occasions, he’s in for an extended night time there as a result of I do know I’m gonna be capable to slide with him and be capable to contest and stay with the kind of photographs we would like them to shoot.”
