Tyrese Maxey, Sixers Open up on Getting Tobias Harris Out of Slump

With Joel Embiid recovering from a knee injury, the Philadelphia 76ers have a big void to fill in their lineup. Tyrese Maxey has stepped up to lead the charge, but the team needs an all-around effort to replace the production of the reigning MVP.

Aside from Maxey, Tobias Harris is another player expected to lead the charge for this group. Since the All-Star break, the veteran forward’s play has been up-and-down. Over his past three games, he’s failed to break double digits twice.

During the Sixers’ matchup with the Milwaukee Bucks Sunday, Harris struggled to get things going offensively. He finished the game with eight points and eight rebounds on 3-for-11 shooting from the field.

After the game, multiple members of the Sixers discussed what needs to be done to get Harris going. First up was head coach Nick Nurse.

“I mean listen, I always talk about he’s got a variety of things he can do and still need him to get some stuff in transition as a starter, a put back or two,” Nurse told reporters. “We got a little few sets for him and then he’s got to play off of stuff coming out to him too, so we need to though, we need to get him going a little bit.”

Next up was Maxey, who took some of the blame for Harris’ recent struggles. As the team’s lead guard, he feels it’s on him to get Harris the ball in spots that he’s comfortable.

“I think that’s probably on me. I got to give him better shots. Get him in a position where he’s comfortable. I think that’s just a testimony to what Nurse was talking about. We got to get guys organized,” Maxey said. “We got to get guys in their right spot. Some plays are just taking players out; one pass shots, no pass shots. So, I got to do a better job of getting him better shots and getting him in better spots to be successful.”

As the Sixers continue to weather the storm without Embiid, getting Harris in a groove is essential if they want to remain competitive.