The Detroit Pistons have won three in a row and six of their last seven games to bolster their lead atop the Eastern Conference.
The high-octane Pistons will look to continue their good fortune on Wednesday when they visit the Western Conference-worst New Orleans Pelicans.
Tobias Harris scored 25 points to lift Detroit to a 104-103 victory over the Boston Celtics on Monday. His point total was one shy of his season high, set on Nov. 29.
“He was huge, and that’s consistent. When we need him most, we know we can count on him,” Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff said of Harris. “Whether that’s settling us down, finding a bucket, communicating, and getting guys together. That’s why he’s so valuable to us.”
Harris rebounded after leaving Saturday’s game against the Indiana Pacers in the third quarter after taking a hard hit on a screen. And that came in his second contest following a stretch in which he missed five consecutive contests due to a hip injury.
“For me, it has been about keeping myself mentally and physically in the best condition,” the 33-year-old Harris said, per the Detroit News. “At the same time, just staying young with it. These guys call me Unc (uncle) and stuff, but I’m into the same stuff that they are into. … It’s about embracing the team. Embracing what we have going here. But the biggest thing is just having fun, especially once you get the years in this league. Embracing the winning habits that we are building day after day.”
Harris is averaging 13.7 points this season, third on the team behind only upcoming All-Star Game starter Cade Cunningham (25.7) and Jalen Duren (17.8).
“He’s been great. He’s just a class act,” Cunningham said, per the Detroit News. “More than anything, it’s how he carries himself, his professionalism, whether it’s how he takes care of his body and goes about his work. It’s an inspiration to all of the young guys.”
Speaking of Duren and Cunningham, the former collected 18 points and nine rebounds versus the Celtics and the latter recorded 16 points, 14 assists and zero turnovers.
Former Pistons executives Joe Dumars and Troy Weaver, now with New Orleans, haven’t seen many positives this season out of the Pelicans, who have lost 13 of their last 15 games.
Trey Murphy III scored 21 points in New Orleans’ 119-110 setback to the Houston Rockets on Sunday. Murphy has reached the 20-point plateau in each of his last eight games to average a robust 29.1 points per contest this month.
Zion Williamson scored 20 points and rookie Derik Queen finished with 15 for the Pelicans, who committed 14 turnovers and were outrebounded 47-39 — including 17-10 on the offensive glass.
“We got down and kept battling,” New Orleans interim coach James Borrego said. “(The Rockets) had not been shooting it this well. That’s the way it goes. But I thought in general, we battled and got over it. Probably the turnovers cost us too. I think eight transition turnovers. Right now, every stop for us is valuable. We’ve got to take care of the ball.”
