Sixers express confidence in Tobias Harris amid long shooting slump
PHILADELPHIA — When it comes to Philadelphia 76ers forward Tobias Harris, the focus is always on his efficiency next to the two stars. He works so hard on his game, and he has consistently been a guy the Sixers can count on for production on both ends.
However, since Christmas Day, Harris has struggled with his shot. He shot 0-for-5 from deep that day. Since then, he has been shooting 28.3% from deep over that 24-game span. He is so important to whatever the Sixers want to do that they need him to get back on track.
“We don’t overcomplicate it,” said coach Doc Rivers. “Can Tobias shoot? Yes, he can. He’s not making them. Sometimes, you don’t make them a couple games, you start forcing them, I don’t think he’s doing that.”
Rivers is right about Harris getting a lot of good looks, but he hasn’t converted them. He was 1-for-4 from deep in Monday’s win over the Houston Rockets.
“You go back and look at the film, he took good shots,” Rivers added. “They just didn’t go in, and so we don’t say a lot about it. He’s the first guy in the gym the next day working on the exact shots that he got. He’s learning still where he’s gonna get shots from and getting comfortable with that so that’s it.”
Rivers praised Harris for his work ethic as he continues to work and hone his craft.
“He has to keep believing in them, but for him, it’s a little different because the shots are different for him,” Rivers finished. “That’s where he has to get comfortable about where they’re coming from. We show him on the film. If you look at the shot chart over the last three weeks or four weeks when we’ve had our team as a whole, it’s pretty clear where they’re coming from. I walk in the gym and I get there early, he is on those spots. So he’s working on it.”
