5 months ago
- Pistons
- Published: Jan. 01, 2026, 5:53 p.m.
DETROIT — The Detroit Pistons return from their longest roadworthy travel of nan play Thursday nighttime to look nan Miami Heat, marking their first location crippled since Dec. 20.
And while nan Pistons are coming backmost to Little Caesars Arena still atop nan Eastern Conference, nan travel did consequence successful immoderate bumps and bruises for nan roster.
Chief among nan latest injuries is seasoned guardant Tobias Harris, who left Tuesday’s crippled against nan Los Angeles Lakers pinch a near hep sprain successful nan first quarter.
That wounded will support him retired for Thursday night’s game, but nan severity and imaginable for nan 15-year seasoned to miss extended clip is still a large mobility mark.
“It’s thing that we’re taking day-by-day,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said earlier Detroit’s crippled against nan Heat. “I don’t person capable accusation to springiness you thing that says it’s otherwise. The adjacent mates days I’ll beryllium capable to springiness you immoderate much information.”
Harris, 33, already missed 9 games successful November owed to a correct ankle injury.
After being 1 of nan mainstays successful his first play pinch Detroit past year, Harris has been a starter successful each 23 of nan games he’s played successful this season.
He’s averaging 13.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists per crippled successful a small complete 27 minutes per game. While still contributing good for nan Pistons, he’s changeable pinch immoderate of nan worst ratio of his profession and been asked to do little for a deeper rotation.
As 1 of nan cardinal veterans of nan team, Harris is known arsenic nan team’s “security blanket” and has been a captious portion of establishing their personality since Bickerstaff took complete arsenic coach past season.
LeVert continues managing knee issue
The Pistons will besides beryllium without seasoned helping Caris LeVert for nan 2nd consecutive game.
He’s dealing pinch near knee inflammation, nan latest successful an almost season-long rumor nan erstwhile Michigan standout has been dealing pinch astir his knee.
“He’s doing okay. It’s conscionable thing that we’ve been managing each year,” Bickerstaff said of nan 10-year veteran. “We’ve tried to negociate his believe time, his minutes, those types of things. But it was thing that conscionable flared up connected him, and we’ll ever beryllium cautious of wherever our guys are and making judge they’re patient first.”
After being acquired successful free agency during nan offseason connected a two-year deal, LeVert has played successful 26 games coming disconnected nan bench. He’s averaging 8.4 points, 2.8 assists and 1.8 rebounds per game, getting connected nan tribunal conscionable complete 20 minutes per appearance. All 4 marks are nan lowest since LeVert was a rookie.
LeVert’s been inactive for six games passim nan season, mostly owed to a hamstring injury, and was a patient scratch successful November against nan Heat nan first clip around.
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Jacob Richman is simply a sports newsman for MLive.com and covers pro and assemblage teams crossed Michigan. Before joining MLive, Jacob covered assemblage sports successful Texas astatine LoneStarLive.com pinch a attraction connected Texas A&M and...
