The Whiteboard: Tobias Harris deserves all of the success he’s finding
By Ti Windisch
Western Conference Player of the Month Tobias Harris has the Los Angeles Clippers at the top of the West, and it’s hard not to be happy for him.
This is Tobias Harris’ eighth NBA season. If the Los Angeles Clippers were to trade him this year, he will have as many seasons where he has gotten traded part of the way through as he will all with the same team. That kind of instability is tough for a player.
Harris hasn’t used it as an excuse though, as through more than a month he’s given the Clippers ample reason to hold on to him no matter what. Harris was named the Western Conference Player of the Month on Monday after averaging 21.4 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game in his first 22 contests of the young season.
If recent history is any indication, this will probably lead to an All-Star appearance for Harris. All of the various players of the month from the 2017-18 regular season ended up being All-Stars, and most of the time players who have received that honor in the first few months of the season have ended up as All-Stars over the last few seasons.
SUBSCRIBE. Get The Whiteboard delivered daily to your email inbox. light
Based on the combination of his own numbers and his team’s success, it isn’t a stretch to believe Harris belongs there. His Clippers were 15-6 through October and November, and at the top of the Western Conference.
In addition to his counting numbers, Harris has been Los Angeles’ most reliable contributor. He’s the only Clipper to start all 22 of the team’s games thus far. The Clips may not hold a top spot in the conference through December, much less the whole regular season, but Tobias Harris is rightfully being recognized for how his team has performed thus far.
#Content you can’t miss
Making Milwaukee aware; Adam McGee details how Mike Budenholzer benched Khris Middleton to send a message to the Bucks
A historic role in Boston; Thomas King describes how Gordon Hayward is thriving as the Celtics sixth man
The Bulls are always Lowe; Zach Lowe details what’s next with the Bulls after they fired Fred Hoiberg on Monday
Easily 1-18 folks; The folks of Fastbreak Breakfast debate whether going 0-12 or 1-18 is better and more on their latest podcast episode
Myles better defensively; Caitlin Cooper breaks down Myles Turner’s improved play on the defensive end
These kind of hypotheticals are the best; Tom Ziller imagines what the NBA playoff picture would look like if it were determined by the NCAA football committee