Harris scores 30 as Pistons crush Pacers
Detroit Pistons forward Tobias Harris (34) takes a shot against Indiana Pacers guard Lance Stephenson during the first half of an NBA basketball game. AP
DETROIT — A few days back, Detroit Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy had a heart-to-heart talk with forward Tobias Harris.
Van Gundy’s message to Harris, who was struggling with his shot, was to get out of his own head and just be in the moment.
“He just told me to clear my head and go out there and enjoy the game and just play off everything that happens,” Harris said. “That’s what I’ve been able to do and it’s been working.”
It worked to near perfection Tuesday (Wednesday Manila time). Harris scored 30 points as the Pistons downed the Indiana Pacers 107-83.
Harris was 10-of-11 from the floor, including making seven of eight 3′s.
“It’s a new approach I have, since I was not shooting as well as I was before, so I’m just letting the game come to me and just try to feed off what the game brings,” Harris said. “You go on with a better mindset playing in the game.
“I’ll stick with it.”
Harris scored 21 points in the first quarter, as the Pistons rolled to a season-high 40 points and a 40-19 lead.
“Obviously, Tobias had a heck of a first quarter, but it all was clicking, on all cylinders,” Pistons center Andre Drummond said. “Everybody was scoring.”
Drummond finished with 21 points and a game-high 18 rebounds. The entire starting five for the Pacers combined for just eight rebounds and their offensive output was a season low.
“I have no explanation for that, absolutely none,” Pacers coach Nate McMillan said. “We’re just digging a hole for ourselves.”
Ish Smith (12 points) and Reggie Bullock (11) also reached double digits for Detroit.
Victor Oladipo led the Pacers with 13 points. Domantas Sabonis, Bojan Bogdanovic and Myles Turner each scored 10 points.
The victory moved the Pistons (19-14) past the Pacers (19-15) into second spot in the NBA’s Central Division and gave the Pistons a 3-1 decision in the season series between the two teams, the first time Detroit had won the season set from Indiana since going 4-0 against the Pacers in 2007-08.
“That’s a team we’re looking forward to playing in the playoffs, so to get that advantage is huge for us,” Drummond said.
