A big part of the Detroit Pistons’ success this season has been the solid contributions from veterans Tobias Harris, Malik Beasley and Tim Hardaway Jr.
All three have been reliable, stabilizing forces for a young roster that lacked solid role players that they could count on to be on the court and contribute consistently.
Tim Hardaway Jr. was mostly viewed as a salary dump when he came along with a pile of second-round picks in a trade with Dallas, but he’s ended up in the starting five, playing a key role for the Pistons as a floor spacer.
Hardaway Jr. Is putting up his normal good-not-great shooting stats, hitting just over 36 percent of his 3-point shots, which is right at his career average.
It’s how he gets there that should be concerning to Pistons fans as the team tries to cling to the final guaranteed playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Tim Hardaway Jr.’s stats in the last 10 games
Like many shooters, THJ goes through peaks and valleys that eventually balance out to the norm.
When he is rolling, it seems like he can’t miss and he has had a couple such streaks so far this season, but there is a flip side to that.
Over his last 10 games, THJ has shot just 36 percent from the floor overall and just 29 percent from long range.
The Pistons don’t rely heavily on THJ for points, as he is only averaging 10 per game, but they do rely on him for spacing, and when he’s not hitting shots, it’s hard to keep him out there given that he’s not a great defender.
Both THJ and Simone Fontecchio are X Factors in this way, as they aren’t a huge part of the offensive game plan, but when they are hitting shots, the Pistons are hard to beat, as they are getting consistent scoring from guys like Cade Cunningham, Tobias Harris, Jalen Duren and Malik Beasley.
The Pistons can win without getting huge contributions from THJ, but it’s much easier when they do, and given that they have a brutal schedule to finish the season, the Pistons will need everyone rolling, not just their main guys.
Luckily, THJ’s slumps are usually followed by hot streaks and he still has time to get on one in the last 13 games and be hot going into the playoffs if the Pistons end up getting there.
Otherwise, his defense could get him played off the floor in the playoffs, as the Pistons will prioritize defense if he is not making shots.