A pair of former Vols are set for a crucial Game 7 in the NBA Playoffs on Sunday night as the Detroit Pistons host the Cleveland Cavaliers in a win-or-go-home matchup with a spot in the Eastern Conference Finals on the line.
VFLs Tobias Harris and Chaz Lanier are both part of the Pistons’ 1-seed roster. Harris has been a crucial part of Detroit’s season and playoff run so far, while the rookie Lanier has spent most of the postseason on the bench.
The game will take place at 8:00 p.m. ET on Amazon Prime Video.
Harris has upped his game for the Pistons during the playoffs so far. After averaging 13.3 points per game during the regular season, Harris has averaged 19.1 PPG in 13 postseason games. He’s also raised his rebounding average from 5.1 to 7.4 and his steals from 0.9 to 1.5. While the Pistons haven’t made anything easy so far, Harris has been a key veteran piece for the up-and-coming Detroit squad.
Lanier played in 34 regular season games after being drafted in the second round of the 2025 NBA Draft, averaging 2.4 points in 7.1 minutes per appearance. With things narrowing down in the playoffs, his role has unsurprisingly diminished. He had a quick run during Game 7 against the Magic and tallied one minute during the Pistons’ Game 6 blowout win over the Cavs.
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Despite being the 1-seed in the East, the Pistons aren’t unfamiliar with having their backs against the wall. Detroit went down 3-1 in the conference quarterfinals against the Magic, but won three straight to take the series in seven games. The Pistons then got out to a 2-0 lead over the Cavs in the conference semi-finals, but gave up three straight before tying up the series in Game 6.
The winner of Sunday night’s contest will move onto the Eastern Conference Finals to take on the New York Knicks.
Harris and Lanier are the lone Volunteers left in the NBA Playoffs after eliminations from Grant Williams and the Hornets, Dalton Knecht and the Lakers, and Julian Phillips and the Timberwolves.
