Tobias Harris was having a solid, if unspectacular season as the Detroit Pistons starting power forward through the first 30 games of the season. Following a disheartening loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on December 21st, head coach Stan Van Gundy decided to make a change in the starting lineup, moving Harris to the bench in favor of Jon Leuer. The move was met with trepidation by some who wondered how Harris would react to being thrust into a high-usage sixth man role.
In his 21 games coming off the bench since then, Harris has more than survived. In fact, he’s absolutely thrived, shooting nearly 52 percent from the field, giving the Pistons an efficient and necessary scorer with second units while also playing a significant role with the starters.