Doc Rivers Satisfied With Montrezl Harrell’s Start With Sixers

Montrezl Harrell got a crack at playing in the Sixers' starting lineup on Friday.

The Philadelphia 76ers hosted the New York Knicks on Friday night. With James Harden injured and out of the mix, the team opted to roll with De’Anthony Melton starting alongside Tyrese Maxey.

Along with Harden, Sixers center Joel Embiid missed the matchup, marking his third-straight absence. When Embiid missed matchups in the past, Doc Rivers would go small by shifting the team’s starting power forward, PJ Tucker, to the five spot, promoting a guard to replace Tobias Harris at small forward while he shifts to the four. 

On Friday, Rivers kept the forwards in place and rolled out a bigger starting five by bringing in another center. To no surprise, former Sixth Man of the Year Montrezl Harrell got the start.

Harrell checked into Friday’s game through the first eight minutes. He went 1-3 from the field for two points and came down with three rebounds in the first quarter.

Harrell picked up another nine minutes of playing time in the second quarter and went 2-2 from the field. Harrell was active from the free-throw line as he drained four of his five foul shots. The veteran went into halftime with ten points, four rebounds, one assist, and one steal in 17 minutes.

Although Harrell’s backup for the night, Paul Reed, played well on the defensive end during his limited minutes, Rivers wanted to continue utilizing Harrell frequently in the second half. Therefore, the veteran collected another eight minutes on the floor in the third quarter.

Then when it came to the final quarter of the outing, Harrell picked up roughly three minutes, while Reed checked in for a majority of the fourth. 

Going from an MVP-caliber center in Joel Embiid to a combination of Harrell and Reed is a notable difference for the Sixers at the center position, but Rivers left Friday night’s matchup against the Knicks satisfied with what his centers put on display.

“Trez played great,” said Rivers after Friday’s game. “He was good. Paul Reed was good. So, I was happy. Overall, with our five play, very happy with that.” 

Being in the NBA since 2015, Harrell has picked up a handful of starts over time. While he’s come off the bench more often than not, the big man was ready for his starting moment with the Sixers on Friday.

“It’s an opportunity, man,” Harrell said after the game. “That’s all I ever asked for since I came into the league. Whenever I get that, it’s on me what I do with it. That’s how I’ve looked at my career for all eight years I’ve been here. I just want an opportunity, and the opportunity I get is up to me what I do with it.”

Harrell spent a little under 30 minutes on the court Friday night. Offensively, he went 4-6 from the field and drained all but two of his eight free throws. He wrapped up the night with 14 points, seven rebounds, one assist, and one steal in the Sixers’ two-point loss to the New York Knicks. 

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.