DETROIT — The Detroit Pistons return from their longest road trip of the season Thursday night to face the Miami Heat, marking their first home game since Dec. 20.
And while the Pistons are coming back to Little Caesars Arena still atop the Eastern Conference, the trip did result in some bumps and bruises for the roster.
Chief among the latest injuries is veteran forward Tobias Harris, who left Tuesday’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers with a left hip sprain in the first quarter.
That injury will keep him out for Thursday night’s game, but the severity and potential for the 15-year veteran to miss extended time is still a big question mark.
“It’s something that we’re taking day-by-day,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said before Detroit’s game against the Heat. “I don’t have enough information to give you anything that says it’s otherwise. The next couple days I’ll be able to give you some more information.”
Harris, 33, already missed nine games in November due to a right ankle injury.
After being one of the mainstays in his first season with Detroit last year, Harris has been a starter in all 23 of the games he’s played in this season.
He’s averaging 13.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game in a little over 27 minutes per game. While still contributing well for the Pistons, he’s shot with some of the worst efficiency of his career and been asked to do less for a deeper rotation.
As one of the key veterans of the team, Harris is known as the team’s “security blanket” and has been a critical part of establishing their identity since Bickerstaff took over as coach last season.
LeVert continues managing knee issue
The Pistons will also be without veteran wing Caris LeVert for the second straight game.
He’s dealing with left knee inflammation, the latest in an almost season-long issue the former Michigan standout has been dealing with around his knee.
“He’s doing okay. It’s just something that we’ve been managing all year,” Bickerstaff said of the 10-year veteran. “We’ve tried to manage his practice time, his minutes, those types of things. But it was something that just flared up on him, and we’ll always be cautious of where our guys are and making sure they’re healthy first.”
After being acquired in free agency during the offseason on a two-year deal, LeVert has played in 26 games coming off the bench. He’s averaging 8.4 points, 2.8 assists and 1.8 rebounds per game, getting on the court just over 20 minutes per appearance. All four marks are the lowest since LeVert was a rookie.
LeVert’s been inactive for six games throughout the season, largely due to a hamstring injury, and was a healthy scratch in November against the Heat the first time around.