Thriving Detroit Pistons turn attention to floundering New Orleans Pelicans in NBA

NEW ORLEANS – The Detroit Pistons have won three games in a row and six of their last seven in the National Basketball Association (NBA) to bolster their lead atop the Eastern Conference standings.

The high-octane Pistons will now look to continue their good fortune on Jan 21 (Jan 22 morning, Singapore time) when they visit the New Orleans Pelicans, who are bottom of the Western Conference.

One of their key players is Tobias Harris, who scored 25 points to lift Detroit to a 104-103 victory over the Boston Celtics on Jan 19. His points total was one shy of his season-high 26 points set on Nov 29, when they won 138-135 against the hosts Miami Heat.

“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 returned to action after leaving the Jan 17 game against the Indiana Pacers in the third quarter, when he took a hard hit on a screen. That came in his second contest following a stretch in which he missed five consecutive games 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... 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 per game this season, third in the team behind 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.”

In the other camp, former Pistons executives Joe Dumars and Troy Weaver, now with New Orleans, have not seen many positives this season out of the Pelicans, who have lost 13 of their last 15 games.

Perhaps one player who could make a difference is Trey Murphy III.

He scored 21 points in New Orleans’ 119-110 setback to the Houston Rockets on Jan 18. Murphy has reached the 20-point mark in each of his last eight games to average a robust 29.1 points per contest in January so far.

The Pelicans know where their weaknesses lie. They had 13 turnovers against Houston and were out-rebounded 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.”

Meanwhile in NBA action on Jan 20, the Rockets snapped the San Antonio Spurs’ three-game winning streak, overturning a 16-point deficit to score a 111-106 win over their in-form Texas rivals.

Reed Sheppard led the scoring with a blistering 21-point cameo off the bench, pouring in 12 points in the fourth quarter to drag Houston over the line.

Elsewhere, Luka Doncic bagged a 38-point triple-double, including 13 rebounds and 10 assists, as the Los Angeles Lakers staged a second-half rally to claim a 115-107 road victory over the Denver Nuggets.

Coby White matched his season high with 27 points and Matas Buzelis added 21 as the Chicago Bulls defeated the visiting Los Angeles Clippers 138-110, stopping the Clippers’ six-game winning streak. REUTERS