With 59 games behind them, the 76ers are ready to approach the rest of the season as if it's the playoffs with the hope of securing home-court advantage in the first round.
Forward Tobias Harris, who was acquired from the Clippers at the trade deadline, acknowledged it may be a challenge but indicated Philadelphia's goal is to win all of their remaining 23 regular-season games.
“Our goal is to win every single game the rest of the season,” Harris said Wednesday, per The Philadelphia Inquirer. “We're going into every game like they are playoff games. That being said, in the East, there are a lot of good teams up there ahead of us. But if we handle our business, we can help ourselves and move up.
“We are not worried about anybody. We're ready to bring it.”
The 76ers will have to figure out how to win without All-Star center Joel Embiid for at least a week due to tendinitis in his left knee. Philadelphia pulled off a 106-102 win over the Heat on Thursday and will play the Trail Blazers at home Saturday before facing the Pelicans on the road Monday, likely without Embiid. Harris, however, is confident they can still pull off the victories.
“We have to use these games ... even without Joel, to build chemistry,” Harris said. “We have the right pieces to make things happen. So we have to build that chemistry back.”
Philadelphia enters Saturday's matchup with a 38-21 record, sitting fourth in the Eastern Conference behind the Bucks, Raptors and Pacers.
