Tobias Harris continues to grow into closer role for Sixers

NEW YORK — When the Philadelphia 76ers lost Jimmy Butler in free agency, they lost the guy they gave the ball to close out games late. In his place, that responsibility has fallen on Tobias Harris, who signed a $180 million contract extension in the offseason.

On Saturday against the New York Knicks, Harris took another step toward the title of closer. He drilled a huge 3-pointer late to give the Sixers the lead, then forced a turnover on the following possession to close the game on both ends for a 90-87 win.

"I always want to take over," Harris said. "That's part of my game and being a scorer is being able to find mismatches in plays to take over. If I'm put in those positions to make things happen, I can do a lot of damage."

Harris had 15 points on the night, which did not lead the team, but he made all the right plays down the stretch. The go-ahead shot late was not even supposed to be for him. It was a broken play, and he made the right read out of it in order to get himself open for the shot.

"He's been locked in," said Sixers guard Ben Simmons. "He's being aggressive, taking shots. We want him to keep shooting the ball and keep taking those open looks. He's a great player."

The shot showed the continuous progression that pleases coach Brett Brown, who hopes Harris' assertiveness becomes a nightly aspect of his game. Even when Joel Embiid returns from injury, the Sixers will need Harris' perimeter play to close games out. Play-makers who can break down a defense from the perimeter and make plays off the dribble are imperative.

"He wasn't bashful, just look at his 3-point shots," Brown said. "He was 4-for-8, he did a great job of finding that range and it's just a part of his game we've discussed that we want to grow that."

The Sixers head to Brooklyn on Monday to face the Nets as they look to continue to find their footing on the road.

Sixers Wire is part of the Paste BN Sports Media Group.