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By John DentonApril 6, 2016
ORLANDO – In Detroit, Tobias Harris is in a system where he is more of a featured piece of the Pistons’ offense and he’s involved in a playoff race for the first time in his NBA career.
As for the team that traded Harris to the Pistons on Feb. 16, the Orlando Magic, they are playing some of their best basketball of the season because of improved pace and ball movement and the franchise will be flush with extra salary cap space this summer to try and lure a star player to Central Florida. The Magic have also gotten contributions from veterans Brandon Jennings and Ersan Ilyasova, two players they consider valuable assets going forward.
Rare is it that a trade is a win/win on both sides, but that certainly seems to be the case with the transaction that came during break for the NBA All-Star Game. Detroit (41-37) is 14-10 since the trade, but it was routed 107-89 on Tuesday night in Miami. The Pistons sit two games ahead of the Chicago Bulls for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
“I played with Tobias for three years here and he became a good friend of mine so it was different to see him in that (Pistons) uniform and the headband was something else,” said Magic center Nikola Vucevic, who will continue to come off the bench tonight for a fourth straight game. “(Trades) are a part of the business that we’re in. … Tonight, with Tobias coming back here, I’m sure he’ll have extra motivation. I’m happy for him because he’s playing well there and it’s a good situation for him. It worked out for him.”
Orlando (33-44) has been eliminated from playoff contention, but you’d never be able to tell it with the way it is playing of late. The Magic have have won four of their last five games and the one loss came in a game where they led Milwaukee by five points with 2 1/2 minutes remaining. Also, three of the wins came against teams (Chicago, Indiana and Memphis) still in the playoff race and tonight gives the Magic a shot at playing spoiler again.
“I’m sure this is a game that (the Pistons) feel like it’s a must-win and they have to have it,” Magic coach Scott Skiles said. “They have handled us twice already (this season), so hopefully we’ll respond and play well.”
With 20-year-old forward Aaron Gordon and 23-year-old guard in the lineup alongside speedsters Elfrid Payton, Victor Oladipo and Dewayne Dedmon, Orlando has picked up the pace tremendously of late. They Magic have scored at least 110 points in each of the last five games, topping out with 139 (the fourth-most in franchise history) against Brooklyn last week.
In hopes of keeping the team’s rhythm the same that it’s been over the past two weeks, Skiles will use Vucevic off the bench for a fourth straight game. The 7-footer, who missed 13 games from March 7-30 because of a groin strain, has responded well in that role the past three games, averaging 23.6 points a game on 68 percent shooting.
Vucevic would ultimately like to return to his usual starting spot, but he said he understands Skiles’ rationale for not wanting to disrupt the team’s flow for now.
“I understand it and it’s fine. We’ve been playing well this way and the season is coming to an end, so it’s fine for now,” Vucevic said. “I’m OK with it, but I want to start and everybody knows that. But for now it’s fine.”
Harris has been a started for 22 of his 24 games in Detroit and he’s taken off as the team’s second scoring option behind point guard Reggie Jackson. Harris is averaging 16.7 points a game – up over the 13.7 points he averaged in 49 starts with the Magic this season. Harris had 21 points and seven rebounds in Miami on Tuesday and tonight will be his first return to Orlando since the trade with the Pistons.
“It seemed like (Pistons head coach) Stan (Van Gundy) was taking care of him because Tobias was getting a lot of plays called for him,” Gordon said of Harris, whom he credits for mentoring him last season when he was a rookie. “It looks like he was in a rhythm there and he was playing well with his (Pistons) teammates. It seemed different (with Harris playing for Detroit), and it will be more different when he gets here tonight. But once we get on the floor, it’s time to play basketball.”
