Forced to win against the Knicks in Game 6 to hope to stay alive, the Sixers were unable to count on Tobias Harris last night, transparent in 29 minutes of play. It was probably the winger’s last game under the colors of Philadelphia…
Since joining the Sixers in 2019, Tobias Harris has played 378 regular season games with Philly, and 57 Playoffs. 435 matches in total. He had never finished a game with zero points… before that night.
Tobias Harris, in the most decisive match of the season:
29 minutes
0/2 shooting
0 point
0 impact
4 rebounds
3 passes
$39 million this season
— TrashTalk (@TrashTalk_fr) May 3, 2024
While he had step-up in the miraculous victory of Game 5 at Madison Square Garden (19 points), Tobias Harris simply did not exist last night in the sixth inning in Philadelphia. We can’t even say that he played badly, because he simply didn’t not plays. He went through the game like a ghost on offense, taking only two shots in total for zero points scored. As a reminder, the Sixers only lost by three units (118-115).
“Tobias Harris played 29 minutes tonight. He only took two shots, and didn’t score. We’re talking about a guy who makes almost $40 million. He is supposed to be the third best player on the Sixers (behind Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, editor’s note). If he had contributed just a little bit, not only would Philly win this game but probably the series as well.” – Sam Mitchell, ancien coach NBA
Often criticized in Philadelphia for his production not living up to his contract (180 million over five years), Tobias Harris had therefore saved the worst for last.
This catastrophic Game 6 against the Knicks will most likely mark the end of a five-year relationship between Tobias and the Sixers. A relationship that became complicated from the moment Harris signed his XXL contract extension in 2019, while Jimmy Butler left the franchise to join Miami (“Tobias Harris over me ?!”). Harris certainly contributed over these five seasons (more than 17 points and 6 rebounds on average) but without ever evolving to the All-Star level that could be expected of him. Worse, he has developed the bad habit of not being present in big moments. Between 2019 and 2024, the Sixers have always participated in the Playoffs but never made it past the conference semi-finals.
This clip before the season did not age well for Tobias Harris, who went 0-of-1 in Game 6.
Will we see him back with the Sixers next season? 😬
(via @NBCSPhilly)pic.twitter.com/0r2DfIUcXW
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 3, 2024
With his contract ending this summer, the Sixers will free up $40 million in their payroll and will have a lot of flexibility to surround stars Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey as best as possible. It’s a safe bet that Tobias Harris will no longer be part of the project.
The time has come to turn the page, for the Sixers as for Tobias Harris. Because after this last disastrous appearance, there is no world in which Tobias can put on a Philly jersey again without being booed by his own fanbase…
2024-05-03 10:44:00
#Tobias #Harris #Sixers #saved #worst #last..
