MILWAUKEE – If three games is enough to constitute a pattern, this is one Stan Van Gundy would endorse. That’s how long it’s been since Tobias Harris joined the Pistons starting lineup and in those three games the Pistons have held the opposition between 88 and 91 points and placed all five starters in double figures.
Oh, and there’s this, too: a 3-0 record.
“I had no idea,” Reggie Jackson said of the balanced scoring since Harris’ insertion into the lineup. “But I’ll take it.”
The formula clicked in a big road win that put the Pistons back above .500 at 30-29. Coupled with Chicago’s home loss to Portland, the win elevated the Pistons to within a half-game of the eighth playoff spot.
The Pistons flashed both halves of their new-found equation, the scoring balance and offensive efficiency early and stingy defense late.
They hit 11 first-half triples, finished with 24 assists and sealed the win by playing shut-down defense over the first eight minutes of the fourth quarter when Milwaukee shot 3 of 16 and committed five of its 21 turnovers.
“It feels good. We came out with great offensive energy to start. Our ball movement was fabulous,” Van Gundy said. “And then as our offense slowed down, we did a good job defensively.”
That fourth-quarter defense was started by a second unit missing two of its mainstays, injuries keeping Stanley Johnson (shoulder) and Anthony Tolliver (knee) on the bench. Marcus Morris opened the quarter along with Aron Baynes, Darrun Hilliard, Reggie Bullock and Steve Blake.
“I’m always worried about my defense,” Hilliard grinned in a buoyant locker room. “Coach doesn’t really say anything to me about offense. He’s always on me about defense, so me, personally, I was just trying to go in there and stop their run and hold it down for that first unit. I think that second unit did a pretty good job and allowed that first unit to come in and finish off strong.”
The Bucks shot 55 percent through three quarters, though the Pistons led consistently from the early minutes thanks to their 3-point shooting and Milwaukee’s turnovers. But when push came to shove in a physical game that saw Andre Drummond go up against ex-teammate Greg Monroe for big stretches, the Pistons showed they could take it to another level on defense.
Drummond has been noticeably more active in the middle since the All-Star break, finishing with 15 points, 17 rebounds, four steals and two blocks. He was a big reason Monroe finished with a pedestrian 10 points and seven boards with four turnovers.
“A real want-to to protect the rim,” Reggie Jackson said of the difference in Drummond. “We had a bad stretch where you knew coming in the building the other team was probably going to have 40-plus paint points. Now I think communication’s been better, starting with him. He’s really anchoring our defense.”
“His defense has gotten a lot better,” Van Gundy said. “I thought he did a good job tonight defending Greg. Guys are really encouraging him with that because, obviously, you’re out there trying to guard good players and you’re getting beat, you want that guy behind you and (Drummond and Baynes) do a pretty good job.”
As for the offense, Harris’ athleticism and persistent filling of a lane in transition have provided another dimension, while Jackson’s greater focus on playing at an elevated pace also has helped. Van Gundy was asked if he thought it a coincidence that all five starters have been in double figures in Harris’ three starts.
“I don’t think it is,” he said. “I think those guys have made a conscious effort to get more ball movement. I think they’ve played much more unselfishly and I think Reggie’s gotten it started by being a much more willing passer, particularly early in games.”
To be sure, Jackson had five quick assists and the Pistons – who have the lowest percentage of assisted baskets in the league – picked up assists on nine of their first 10 baskets of the game and on 17 of 23 first-half baskets. Six players hit a 3-pointer in the first half, five making two apiece.
“When we share the ball like that and find open people, it just makes it fun,” Hilliard said. “We enjoy when somebody knocks down a shot because we know that we have that confidence in them to pass ’em the ball when they’re open and vice versa. When we’re playing like that, it’s much easier and it’s a lot more fun.”