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    • Pistons’ Tim Hardaway Jr. shakes off preseason shooting struggles
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    Pistons’ Tim Hardaway Jr. shakes off preseason shooting struggles

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    Cleveland — Tim Hardaway Jr. announced loudly at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse that the first of two team buses had arrived. The Detroit Pistons had just wrapped up their morning game before Friday night’s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Hardaway continued to sit near the baseline when Jalen Duren walked by and yelled, “Uncle Timmy!” before leaving on the team bus.

    Hardaway said Duren is the only one on the team who calls him Uncle Timmy. He refuses to accept the nickname as it highlights that he is one of two elder statesmen in the squad at 32 – sharing the honor with Tobias Harris. However, the rejection of Uncle Timmy as his team nickname is further evidence of the number of years that have passed since Hardaway last represented Michigan State.

    Hardaway played three seasons at the University of Michigan and began his career with the New York Knicks as a first-round pick in the 2013 NBA draft. The Pistons’ season-opening loss to the Pacers on Wednesday night marked the first game in Hardaway’s 11 years playing in the state he calls his “second home.”

    “It was great; just happy to play in front of the home crowd,” Hardaway said. I was very excited and had many positive emotions. To play in front of family and colleagues. It doesn’t get any better than that. I am very grateful.”

    Hardaway had a promising debut with the Pistons despite a 115-109 loss to the Pacers. A 3-pointer just 15 seconds into the game marked Detroit’s first basket of the season and the first of a 14-point outing for Hardaway.

    Hardaway shot 4-of-7 from 3 at Little Caesars Arena, a significant turnaround from the horrendous shooting performance he displayed during the preseason, when he shot 2-of-18 from behind the arc in five exhibition games . He attributed his struggles to finding his niche in a new offense after spending the past six seasons with the Dallas Mavericks.

    Although it was the preseason, Hardaway relied on his past experiences to help him bounce back in time for the regular season.

    “As a guy who’s been in the league for over a decade, you want to find your groove and get into a rhythm,” Hardaway said. “Even if we missed shots, they were superb. They weren’t forced. We just played attacking, with a new system and a new team.”

    “I was just trying to find ways I could be effective; that’s why I calibrate myself every day. Every game. Every workout. Preseason stats mean nothing. But I think I was just waiting for October 23rd. hit.”

    Hardaway’s ability to shoot was one of the few traits that encouraged the Pistons to acquire him in a trade from the Mavericks in July. He has been one of the best three-point shooters in the NBA for the past decade. In the 2019-20 season, Hardaway led the league in 3-point percentage, connecting on 39.8 percent of his shots.

    It took some time for Hardaway to find his groove in the Pistons’ offense, but Detroit immediately reaped the benefits of their offseason acquisition thanks to his veteran leadership. Hardaway played a vital role in helping the Pistons begin to instill a new culture, and his guidance led Duren to build a nickname that illustrates his teachings as an older player.

    “This is a great team. A great community and a great franchise,” Hardaway said. “This is a new team. A new and different type of coaching staff. A new front office. Everything is different. As long as we lock in as a team and compete, we’ll be fine.”

    Measuring game

    The Pistons’ road contest against the Cavaliers on Friday night continues their grueling start to the 2024-25 season, which will feature six playoff teams in the first half-dozen games. The Pistons’ road game against the Cavaliers will begin their first back-to-back set of the season.

    However, in their return to Detroit on Saturday night, the Pistons will play the NBA champions, the Boston Celtics. Hardaway views the Pistons’ rocky start as a way to gauge their progress against some of the league’s top teams. Each game could result in valuable lessons that will benefit the future of the Pistons.

    “I knew this season wasn’t going to be easy,” Hardaway said. “We have a great test ahead of us right now. We have to take it one game at a time and play with our true identity, which is what coach preaches every night.”

    Whitmer’s visit

    Thursday afternoon, Michigan Gov Gretchen Whitmer visited the Pistons at the Henry Ford Detroit Pistons Performance Center. Whitmer sat down with the team’s coaching staff, players and business operations team to discuss her new book, True Gretch: What I’ve Learned About Life, Leadership, and Everything in Between. She shared details about her background, political life and how to deal with adversity.

    “It was an honor to have Governor Whitmer visit the Pistons Performance Center today for a conversation with our players and staff, describing her journey in politics and the stories in her new book, Real Gretch,” Pistons vice president Arn Tellem said in a statement.

    “We are proud to be at the forefront of civic engagement and greatly appreciate the support that Governor Whitmer has shown to our organization, the Detroit community and the state of Michigan.”

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