Tobias Harris learns to survive — and thrive — as a catch-and-shooter for Sixers: ‘I changed my mentality’

Tobias Harris’ job description had been straightforward: Get buckets in isolation.

He thrived in that role at Half Hollow Hills West High School, Tennessee, and at various stops in the NBA. As an athletic power forward, Harris is a matchup problem in space for traditional post players.

However, in his 12th NBA season, the 76er has reinvented himself. And his transformation is one of the main reasons the Sixers (17-12) take a five-game winning streak into Wednesday night’s game against the Detroit Pistons at the Wells Fargo Center.

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Now thriving in catch-and-shoot situations, Harris made 7 of 9 shots, including 5 of 7 from beyond the three-point line, to score 21 points in Monday’s 104-101 overtime victory over the Toronto Raptors. His biggest shot turned out to be the game-winning 24-foot catch-and-shoot three with 2 minutes, 12 seconds remaining.

That basket provided the game’s final points after another catch-and-shoot three by him in front of the Raptors bench was overturned with 1:31 remaining because of an offensive foul on P.J. Tucker. That three-pointer would have been a nice bonus, but Harris already had left his mark on the game.

And this was far from the first time that he has excelled as a catch-and-shooter this season. He made 5 of 6 three-pointers against the Memphis Grizzlies on Dec. 2. Three nights later, Harris made 7 of 8 threes vs. the Houston Rockets. The difference between those losses and Monday’s victory is that the Sixers continued to find him down the stretch.

“He dedicated this summer to [being] a spot-up shooter making shots, and he’s doing that,” coach Doc Rivers said. “He’s got a quick trigger. You can see he’s worked on improving the quickness of his release. He’s doing that.

“He’s ready, and that’s not easy. You know going four, five minutes and not getting into ball swings, that’s hard — that’s really hard. He stays ready, so very happy with him.”

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Joel Embiid has a similar feeling about Harris, calling him a star in his role.

On Monday, one of Harris’ baskets came on a breakaway dunk. He also made a 14-foot turnaround jumper. His other five came on no-dribble shots.

“That’s what he’s been doing all season,” Embiid said, “knocking down big shots, even the one that got taken away for whatever reason. He’s been great.”

Harris’ average of 17.1 points is his lowest since being acquired from the Los Angeles Clippers in a trade on Feb. 6, 2019. However, Harris’ 42.0% shooting on three-pointers is his highest as a Sixer. And he’s shooting 41.6% on catch-and-shoot threes.

“I know that if you threw me out there two years ago, I wouldn’t be able to do it and get going because that wasn’t the mentality for me, catching and shooting really fast,” Harris said. “At first it was tough, but now I kind of changed my mentality toward it and just said like, ‘OK, if that’s the case and situation, how do you be the best at it?’”

This became Harris’ reality after the Sixers acquired James Harden in a trade from the Brooklyn Nets on Feb. 10. That acquisition slid him down to fourth in the offensive pecking order behind Embiid, Harden, and Tyrese Maxey.

Harris suddenly became a floor spacer on the wing or corner while Harden and Embiid operated in the pick-and-roll. Then in transition, the Sixers’ primary goal is to pass the ball up ahead to a streaking Maxey.

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That has often resulted in his being left out of the offense. But Harris realizes the best things he can do are stay ready and figure out ways to get better. This new role is the evolution of his game.

And this evolution isn’t surprising to Sixers backup center Montrezl Harrell, who also was a teammate of Harris’ on the Clippers.

“He works on his game during the summer, all the little things he feels like he needs to add to his game,” Harrell said. “That’s what he does.”

Harris and the Sixers are benefiting from it.

“I’ve always played basketball through my whole career in the flow of the game and through a rhythm,” Harris said. “That has been my whole M.O. since I was a kid. But sometimes your rhythm can be off and whatnot, and you’ve just got to figure out a way. And I’m glad I’ve been able to adapt.”