Tobias Harris Takes Over as Shorthanded Sixers Defeat the Knicks
PHILADELPHIA, PA -- The road losses keep on coming for the Philadelphia 76ers, who failed to take down one of the bottom-feeders of the East, the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday. Not only did the Sixers lose the matchup against the Cavs, but they also lost their second All-Star to an unexpected shoulder injury eight minutes into the matchup.
So as Sixers center Joel Embiid underwent tests on Thursday, the team planned to play without him. Despite having only 17 wins on the year, the New York Knicks were staring at a prime opportunity to potentially upset the Sixers. Fortunately for Philly, though, they were playing at home where they continue to be wildly successful.
Whether they're at full strength or not, the Sixers always seem to play so much better at home. Nothing about that fact changed on Thursday despite the team being without Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid. As the two All-Stars were absent, Sixers' max contracted forward Tobias Harris stepped up and himself a night straight out of the gate.
As he checked in for nearly nine minutes during the first quarter, Harris was nearly perfect shooting six for eight from the field. He accounted for 14 of the Sixers' 26 total first-quarter points. From then on, Harris and the Sixers remained in control as Philly never lost the lead throughout the entire matchup.
Harris ended up notching a game-high of 34 points in 35 minutes of playing time. While he had a clear-cut standout performance, the rest of Philly's starting lineup did a solid job as well. Embiid's temporary replacement Al Horford helped out on the offensive side of the ball with 15 points. Meanwhile, Simmons' replacement Shake Milton turned in another stellar performance with 19 points as he shot five for five from deep.
While the Sixers were far from flawless, they managed to take care of the Knicks with a 115-106 victory at home. That win advanced them to 37-23 on the year, picking up their 28th win while playing in South Philly. The Sixers will get a couple of days off before hitting the road for a tough four-game stint away from home on the west coast.
Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on Twitter: @JGrasso_
