Will Sixers Forward Tobias Harris Return vs. Pacers?
UPDATE: Tobias Harris is ruled out for Monday's game.
It's been a rough week for Philadelphia 76ers veteran forward Tobias Harris. After finding out he wasn't going to be one of a handful of participants in the 2021 NBA All-Star game despite being off to a hot start in the first half of the season, the veteran forward ended up suffering a setback as well.
Last Thursday, Harris exited the matchup against the Dallas Mavericks early on in the second half. At the time, it was unclear what happened to Harris, but he left the court and went straight back to the Sixers' locker room to get his knee checked out.
Initially, the 76ers diagnosed Harris with a knee contusion. As expected, they ruled him out for the rest of the matchup. Sixers head coach Doc Rivers mentioned he wasn't sure just how serious Harris' setback was after the game. However, Harris had an MRI scheduled for the following morning.
On Friday, the Sixers received positive news regarding Harris' setback. With no structural damage revealed, the Sixers' medical staff could confidently confirm that Harris indeed is dealing with a knee contusion -- and nothing more.
Although Harris was clear from any long-term setbacks, the Sixers still couldn't allow him to play in the next matchup. Therefore, Harris was ruled out for Saturday's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, which impacted the team.
“[We missed him] a lot, I mean, it’s Tobias Harris,” Ben Simmons said after Saturday's game. “He’s the second-leading scorer on the team. You know, he’s a big presence for us." Sixers center Joel Embiid noted that the Sixers specifically missed Tobias Harris in the half-court, where they struggled against Cleveland.
As Harris is only dealing with a contusion, he's expected to be back sooner than later. While the 76ers didn't offer a specific timeline for his return, he could be back as early as Monday night against the Indiana Pacers as he's listed as questionable. While there's no guarantee he'll play on Monday night, the fact that there's a 50/50 chance he could return is a promising sign for the thriving veteran.
Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_ & Instagram: @JGrassoNBA.
