Detroit Pistons
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The Detroit Pistons have the best record in the Eastern Conference.
The Detroit Pistons own the best record in the Eastern Conference through 41 games. Detroit has shown to be a serious contender to compete for a title and a big part of its team success has been the veteran leadership.
Tobias Harris has played a key role for the team this season on and off the court. Aside from superstar Cade Cunningham, Harris has been a leader and a player that his teammates look up to.
Cunningham talked about the impact Harris has on the team. “I mean, how long do I have? He’s been great, man. For one, I mean, he’s just a class act more than anything,” Cunningham said. “The way that he carries himself. His professionalism. The way he takes care of his body, goes about his work, is an inspiration to all the young guys. We all see that, and to see the success that he’s had and how he continues to go at it like that is impressive and we’re all thankful for it.”
Harris is no stranger to Detroit as he’s in his second stint with the team. He has a lot of experience in the league and knows what it takes to be successful as a team.
Pistons’ Veteran Adding Value After Returning From Injury
Harris was sidelined for a few games as he dealt with a left hip strain. But once he returned back to the lineup, he immediately made an impact. The Pistons are on a three-game winning streak with Harris back in the lineup and he had an impressive performance in Detroit’s recent game against the Boston Celtics.
He finished the game with a team-high 25 points in a 104-103 nail biting win over Boston. On the season, he’s averaging 13.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.7 assists. Harris has played for multiple teams over the course of his career and he also has a lot of playoff experience too.
When he was with the Philadelphia 76ers, the team made the postseason six straight years from 2019 to 2024. When he joined Detroit last year, he brought that playoff experience with him and that was one thing Cunningham was excited for.
“Obviously, he has a ton of playoff experience and winning experience,” Cunningham said. “So when he came in, I think that was the biggest thing for us was just having somebody on the floor with us all the time that brought so much experience and so much poise in big games and stuff like that and just knew what it took to win each day. So he’s been huge for us, man. We’re lucky to have him. Tonight was just a night where we needed him to steady us, and he was just for us the whole game.”
Tobias Harris Embracing His Role as the Veteran on the Team
Harris is not going to be the guy that goes out and leads the team in scoring every game, but he is going to affect the game in a positive way and help put his team in the best position to win. As a veteran, Harris understands his role on the team.
If the team’s been struggling offensively and a basket is needed, Harris is a player that can score when needed. He also doesn’t shy away from guarding the opponent’s top player. In year 15, Harris continues to add value and bring that leadership to whatever team he’s on. Harris will continue to play a vital role in Detroit’s success throughout the season.