Philadelphia 76ers: Tobias Harris has a lot to prove against Jimmy Butler

As the Philadelphia 76ers prepare to face off against the Miami Heat, Tobias Harris has a perfect opportunity to prove his mettle against Jimmy Butler.

In the lead up to free agency, the Philadelphia 76ers chose Tobias Harris over Jimmy Butler.

Ok, it wasn’t a choice choice, as Butler’s heart appeared set on South Beach after it became apparent that a five-year max contract was off the table, but still, for the foreseeable future, the duo will be forever linked.

I mean, they play the same position and role in Brett Brown‘s offense for crying out loud, comparisons are all but guaranteed.

More from Philadelphia 76ers

So as the Sixers prepare for Butler’s return to the Wells Fargo Center in what should be a must-watch evening, Harris can’t just come out ready to rock; he needs to come out swinging.

That’s right, after an ugly early November lowlighted by an 0-23 stretch from 3, there isn’t a better way for Harris to announce his place as a player worthy of a max contract than to dominate an All-World defender like Butler on his adopted home court.

The fans would go wild.

Now granted, Harris may not have all that many opportunities to face off against Butler one on one, as the one-time Sixers small forward has transitioned back to his natural shooting guard position with Erik Spoelstra‘s Heat, but if Josh Richardson is unable to go against his former team, Miami may place their best wing defender on Philly’s best wing scorer.

And even if Richardson does play, Brett Brown obviously has the ability to scheme his premier scorer into an advantageous position to shine – I mean, did you see Ben Simmons‘ corner 3 (more on that here)?

While placing the 6-foot-8, 235-pound forward on a player like Butler for an entire game may not be the best idea, as Harris finished out the 2018-19 season with a .30 Real Plus-Minus, even an occasional switch off that doesn’t result in a bucket could be a huge win.

Say what you will about Harris – that he’s too slow, not athletic enough, or a Carmelo Anthony clone – but he is unquestionably talented. With a feathery 3 point shot, and an ability to score from anywhere on the court, the 27-year-old forward earned his max contract extension, and will certainly play out all four years of it baring injury or a massive, blockbuster trade: He just needs confidence.

When a player knows that their shot is going to go in, they’ll be more willing, and even more excited to take it. When a player knows that they can d’ up a scorer effectively, they will be more willing to do so against even the best offensive weapons. It’s simple.

Next. Ben Simmons finally hit his first 3 pointer. dark

Now in relation to an 82 game NBA season, no one game has all that much significance, but much like the Philadelphia 76ers’ statement wins against the Charlotte Hornets and the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2018-19, a big win against the Miami Heat could add wind to the team’s sails and propel Tobias Harris, Josh Richardson, and company to new heights after a sloppy start to the regular season.