Report: 76ers' Tobias Harris Expected to Miss 'Several' Games Due to Safety Protocols

Philadelphia 76ers forward Tobias Harris is expected to miss "several" games due to health and safety protocols, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.

ESPN's Tim Bontemps previously reported Harris would miss Monday's game against the Portland Trail Blazers, which leaves Philadelphia very shorthanded. The Sixers were already set to be without star center Joel Embiid, who is resting. Furkan Korkmaz will start in Harris' place.

Through the first six games of the year, Harris has been Philadelphia's most consistent player. He leads the team in minutes (33.0), rebounds (9.0) and assists (4.2) and ranks second behind Embiid with 19.8 points per game.

The Sixers are 4-2 and have won their past two games, including a 28-point win over the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday. Harris led Philadelphia with 22 points, 11 rebounds and four assists in the victory.

There have been some growing pains early on for the Sixers. Embiid, who is averaging 21.0 points and 8.7 rebounds, has not looked like the player who finished second in last year's MVP voting.

Embiid has been dealing with knee soreness throughout the season, but that's not the reason he's missing Monday's game. Philadelphia head coach Doc Rivers told reporters it was a planned night off for the big man. ESPN's Ramona Shelbourne reported that Embiid underwent an MRI over the weekend that revealed no concerns.

The Sixers have been playing without All-Star point guard Ben Simmons, who is away from the team to focus on his mental health. Rivers said there has been no update or change to Simmons' status, but he is continuing to work out on his own.

With both Harris and Embiid sitting out Monday, the Sixers' starting backcourt of Tyrese Maxey and Seth Curry will likely shoulder most of the scoring load. Backup center Andre Drummond will also see a bump in minutes and the two-time All-Star will have to contribute more than his season average of 5.2 points to help Philadelphia be successful.