Despite Playing Well vs. Hawks, Sixers' Tobias Harris is 'Still Battling' Knee Injury

PHILADELPHIA, PA -- The last few days have been tough for the injury-riddled Philadelphia 76ers. Just as the team got fully healthy by receiving Josh Richardson and Joel Embiid back in the mix, two other starters went out and suffered injuries of their own.

It started with Ben Simmons last week, who injured his back going up for a rebound in practice. Although Simmons' injury didn't seem long-term at first, the starting guard re-injured himself during Saturday's game against Milwaukee.

On Sunday afternoon, he was ruled out early for Monday's matchup with the Hawks. That was the first hit for the Sixers. The second one came hours after the report regarding Simmons as Tobias Harris showed up on the injury report as 'doubtful' against the Hawks.

As Harris suffered a knee contusion against the Bucks on Saturday, it seemed as if there was hardly a chance he plays against the Hawks at home. That changed quickly, however. Around noon on Monday, the Sixers went ahead and upgraded Harris to 'questionable,' giving the veteran forward a chance to play if he's feeling up for it.

After going through his pregame workout, Harris looked and felt good enough to get cleared by the medical team. Therefore, the Sixers made Harris available to start on Monday, and it didn't seem like any restrictions took place for him.

In 35 minutes of playing time, Harris was quite productive for the 76ers as he knocked down nine of his 18 attempted shots from the field. He totaled for 25 points, registering as a plus-21 on the court during the 129-112 victory over Atlanta.

Following the game, Harris admitted he's still not one-hundred percent when it comes to his injury. However, he made it very clear that's no excuse. As long as he's available and playing, the 27-year-old forward holds himself to a high standard no matter what.

"Obviously, I'm still battling through it a bit," Harris said, in regards to his knee. "I always say if I can give anything to help my team win, any percentage when I feel like I'm not putting myself in danger, then I'm going to go out there and play and be effective."

On Sunday, when Harris was listed as 'doubtful' for the Sixers, he described himself as 'sixty-percent.' By Monday morning, he was seventy. Then, when game time rolled around, all excuses were out the window. "That's just how it goes," Harris explained. Barring any setbacks, the Sixers' forward should be ready to go versus Cleveland on Wednesday.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on Twitter: @JGrasso_