The Detroit Pistons recently tied their first round playoff series with the New York Knicks at a game apiece with a narrow Game 2 win on the road. The Pistons have gotten strong play out of their veterans over the first two games of this series, including from Tobias Harris, who is playing much better than he did last year when he took on the Knicks in the playoffs as a member of the Philadelphia 76ers.

Recently, Pistons head coach JB Bickerstaff, who was named a Coach of the Year finalist, broke down how both Harris and fellow veteran Tim Hardaway Jr. have helped elevate Detroit this year.

“My safety blanket,” Bickerstaff said recently, per Jamal Collier of ESPN. “Every time things are going awry, I can put those two guys in the game and I know they're going to settle it down.”

Harris also spoke on how his veteran presence has helped boost what was already a solid young core in Detroit.

“There's a lot of talent here, kind of just need a few adults in the room,” Harris said. “I knew that coming in that this was going to be a breath of fresh air for me, but I've truly enjoyed it. It's the most fun I've had playing basketball my whole career with this group and this team.

“I knew that coming in that this was going to be a breath of fresh air for me, but I've truly enjoyed it. It's the most fun I've had playing basketball my whole career with this group and this team.”

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A big opportunity for the Pistons

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© Brad Penner-Imagn Images

With their win in Game 2, the Pistons seized home court advantage in this series ahead of what should be a raucous environment in Motown for Game 3.

Detroit hasn't played a home playoff game since LeBron James swept them out of the first round in 2016, and it should be a capacity crowd on Thursday evening for the city's second major professional sports playoff game this year.

In any case, Game 3 between the Pistons and Knicks is slated to tip off on Thursday at 7:00 PM ET and will be carried nationally by TNT.