Tobias Harris out vs. Blazers due to health and safety protocols

Tobias Harris is out for the Sixers’ Monday night game against the Portland Trail Blazers due to COVID-19 health and safety protocols. Furkan Korkmaz will start in Harris’s place.

Harris was on the floor warming up ahead of the game, so this is only a late development before tip-off.

No one else on the team is currently affected, and we don’t know any more about Harris’s exact status or return date for the time being. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski has reported that the Sixers are expected know more in the next 12 to 24 hours regarding when Harris could return to play.

This matchup against the Blazers will be a very shorthanded affair for the Sixers. Joel Embiid is also out due to planned rest (he had an MRI at the weekend which revealed no issues with his right knee that had been sore), giving him some time off before the team’s schedule ramps up. The Sixers have six games over the next nine days, including a back-to-back against New York then Milwaukee on November 8 and 9.

With no Harris or Embiid, it’s hard to see Philly having enough firepower to beat Portland. Plenty of opportunities will fall to Korkmaz, Tyrese Maxey and Shake Milton, who’s played well over the last two games since returning from an ankle sprain. In Embiid’s absence, it’s time for Andre Drummond to grab a ton of rebounds and try to help keep the offense moving with his passing from the top of the key (ideally without too many of his overly ambitious plays and turnovers). You can also expect to see the Sixers get smaller in this game and likely give Georges Niang some more run at the 5, followed by some possible minutes for Paul Reed, too.

Harris has been having an excellent start to the season, playing solid defense and averaging 19.8 points, nine rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game with an impressive 60.5 true shooting percentage.

Hopefully he’s healthy and back to playing again soon, and no one else on the team is affected.

Update: Shams Charania has now reported that Harris is expected to miss “several games.” This is obviously a tough blow for the Sixers, especially given how well Harris has been playing and how much they already needed him to help lead the offense alongside Embiid.