The Philadelphia 76ers looked dead in the water Sunday night in Indianapolis. They were 20 points along the way without their best player in Joel Embiid, and it looked like they would have remained without the star man without a win.
Then, when Tobias Harris locked up, the team switched to a zone defense, and they were able to pull the Indiana Pacers together 119-110 for an impressive win without the big fall. It was a game they would definitely lose in the past, and it was mostly due to Harris’ refusal to let the Sixers lose.
“It was great,” coach Doc Rivers said. “We managed our punch series, punch-4. What I liked about it, we did on both sides of the floor. Our guys did it, it gives us space, I thought it organized us, and Tobias was very efficient. ”
Harris finished with 27 points on 10-for-19 shooting and he scored 10 in the fourth quarter to help Philadelphia storm back into this one. It was the performance that an All-Star player delivered, and it showed that he has the right mindset.
“It’s a winning mentality,” Harris explained. ‘I was there today to get buckets to help our team win, and we started calling a few sets to go to work on the block and I took advantage of the moment and opportunity … For me it’s just the fourth quarter, game, like that, with Joel outside, just comes to a spot and gets a bucket for the team and comes back. ‘
Matisse Thybulle, Furkan Korkmaz and Dwight Howard all also played a role in this victory. Thybulle were a threat in defense and Korkmaz was able to hit some big shots while Howard was tremendously off the bench, but Harris was still the main catalyst in the attack to get them going again.
“I said the other day, Tobias is having a show and I think we should all just sit back and enjoy it,” Thybulle said. “He does an excellent job and he does everything we ask of him and more. He plays on both sides at a high level. ”
With Embiid out, Harris was the team’s favorite goal scorer in this situation, and Howard made sure he knew it when he got back on the floor.
“Tobias came into the game and I went to him and said, ‘Hey, don’t sit down, nobody can protect you on the floor. Go get the buckets, ‘Howard explained. “He did it. He did not sag, he attacked the basket, he put the pressure on the edge, put the pressure on the refs and he made great plays. ”
Howard did add that he has a new nickname for Harris.
It was an impressive win, and Harris is definitely going to make a serious case to be in the Eastern Conference All-Star team. Now they will have to move forward and complete the campaign strongly on Wednesday against the Charlotte Hornets.
This post originally appeared on Sixers Wire! Follow us on Facebook!