After Game 7 against the Orlando Magic, Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff made an ear-catching quote, stating, “Nobody can say s— to me about Tobias Harris.”
The Pistons came back from a 3-1 deficit and won a grueling seven-game series and Harris finished that game as Detroit’s leading scorer, putting up 30 points while Cade Cunningham had 32 points.
But people still asked the same question: Is this really a different Tobias Harris we’re watching?
In Game 1 on Tuesday, he was yet again Detroit’s second leading scorer with 20 points. He showed up again in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, finishing with 21 points on 9-of-16 shooting, adding seven rebounds and two steals in a 107-97 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
In his 15th season, Harris has gone from averaging more than 13 points per game in the 2025-2026 regular season to more than 21 points per game in the postseason. It’s just the second time in his career he’s averaged more than 20 points in a postseason.
So what’s the secret to this trust in Harris’ abilities? “Confidence,” Bickerstaff said after Game 2. “There’s no insecurity in who he is, and when you don’t have those insecurities in the moment, you can play free and trust the work that you’ve put in.
“Because you know how much time you’ve put in over the years to do what you do, and trust that he’s got a spot.”
Throughout his 76 (and counting) games of postseason experience, Harris has seen a lot. From being swept in his first postseason series in 2016, to losing a heartbreaking seven-game series against the Raptors in 2019, to seeing this team not win a single home playoff game last year.
The one thing about Harris is that he made the decision to come back to Detroit, signing a 2-year, $52 million dollar deal back in 2024. The franchise didn’t look nearly as promising as it does now, winning a franchise-low 14 games in the previous year, but that didn’t deter Harris from taking advantage of a second chance.
“I knew the impact that the type of players that we have in here, and really just the energy that the coaches have brought to the table every single day,” Harris said after Game 2. “But I didn’t come back to this organization to lose. Coming back there I was making a decision just to bond with the guys in this locker room and the talent level. I’ve said that numerous times, but yeah, it was obviously a huge goal.”
Through the regular season and even during the first round, many asked whether the Pistons should’ve swung for a consistent second option on offense to pair with star Cade Cunningham. But as of right now, it seems like the answer was already on the roster.
At 6-foot-8 and 226 pounds, Harris has taken advantage of his size throughout the first nine games of this run, posting up on smaller defenders to either turn around and shoot right over them or collapse the defense and swing the ball to the open man.
“There’s so many guys that think ‘dribble, dribble, dribble, dribble, dribble’ is the game, right?” Bickerstaff said. “And Tobias knows, he’s gonna get you in the post, he might back you down, he might face you up, but he’s gonna get to the same spot and raise up and knock it down.”
“There’s two seasons in the NBA, there’s regular season and playoffs, and two really different types of basketball,” Harris said. “And for me, you know, just being with this group and being in this moment and taking advantage of the opportunities that are out there in a great flow and look to continue that.”
One of those players he’s bonded with is Daniss Jenkins, who has also shown up as a bright spot for the Pistons in these playoffs. He’s finished in double-digit scoring off the bench for three straight games, including a 16-point performance in Game 2 against Cleveland.
“He’s just really like my guy, you know what I mean,” Jenkins said. “It’s not easy playing behind the main guy when you’re in that position. So just all the little things to keep my mental right, stay with it, and stay poised through all the ups and downs. Even when I’m out there, stay aggressive, he keeps me on my toes to do the right things.”
Just a week ago, the Pistons were on the brink of elimination. Allowing the Magic to steal a game at home helped put them in a 3-1 series hole that they had to claw and scratch their way out of. Now they go to Cleveland up 2-0, winning both games at home, but Harris knows that’s the bare minimum of this squad.
“This is what we’re supposed to do,” Harris said. “Players are supposed to protect the home court. We did our job the first two games, we gotta go on the road and bring that same type of effort, same type of intensity, and same type of desperation.”
Kameron Goodwill is a freelance writer.
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Pistons, Tobias Harris ‘protect home court’ as series shifts to Cleveland
Reporting by Kameron Goodwill, Special to The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
