The Pistons may have to shuffle the lineup with a new injury to Tobias Harris
During the Pistons' 22-point road win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday, Detroit forward Tobias Harris started the game as usual but was removed from the contest due to a hip injury. Harris, now a 15-year veteran in the NBA, has started every game this sean when available for Detroit, but the player jovially referred to as “Unc” may be approaching an inflection point in his future with the Pistons.
Up until now, Harris has brought the offensive gravity that accompanies a stretch four into the Pistons lineup, though his shot could be more consistent at times. Apart from that, Harris contributes modestly in the rebounding and assist departments with a middling defensive profile, but he’s lauded by his teammates as a helpful veteran presence during trying times.
But heading into tonight’s game against the Miami Heat, Harris is currently listed as doubtful due to that same hip injury, and his absence could open the door for a few Detroit bench players to make a statement.
During the Pistons’ 128-106 win over the Lakers two nights ago, third-year guard Marcus Sasser dominated during the second half with 19 points and five assists in what was an important victory for Detroit. Sasser knocked down four shots from behind the arc to help the Pistons’ cause, and the speedy ball handler logged a season-high 24 minutes in the breakout performance.
While the Pistons took a cautious approach to Sasser’s return, it looks like the explosive combo guard is back and ready to contribute. Along those same lines, Detroit has opted to gradually increase guard Jaden Ivey’s workload as he returns from nearly a full year away from basketball, but the Purdue product has also looked closer to his normal self of late.
Against the Lakers, Ivey posted nine points in 17 minutes on a clean, efficient 4-for-5 offering from field goal range. Since coming back, Ivey has hit three-point shots at a plus-40% rate, and he’s looked like an improved defender with a familiar penchant for pushing the pace in transition as well.
With Harris and also Caris LeVert set to miss some time, both Sasser and Ivey should see their playing time increase for the immediate future. Both high-octane guards contribute with turnover-forcing effort on defense, which can be a criticism of Harris at times, and they are both better perimeter shooters than LeVert has proven to be.
Given Sasser and Ivey’s youth and the direction of the Pistons team, it would be wise for Detroit to lean into their pair of quick-tempo guards, especially given their consistent outside shooting at a time when the Pistons need extra reinforcements from long-range.
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