The Detroit Pistons won a nail-biter against the Toronto Raptors on some last second heroics by Jaden Ivey.
It was a game they probably should have lost, as the Raptors took 28 more shots than the Pistons thanks to 26 offensive rebounds. Detroit offset that advantage at the free-throw line, where they got 21 more attempts than the Raptors on a night where no one was happy with the officials.
But the big buzz was around the return of Ausar Thompson, who only played 16 minutes but made an instant and much-needed impact with Cade Cunningham on the bench in street clothes.
Ausar Thompson stats
Thompson played 16 minutes off the bench and scored five points while adding three rebounds and four assists.
He looked a bit rusty offensively, especially around the rim, where he left a couple of bunnies short and missed a layup late in the game.
But he did knock down one of his three attempts from long range and looked good doing it. Thompson’s new shooting form has a higher release and looks a lot more fluid than it did last year.
Ausar Thompson's back, tell a friend#DetroitBasketball pic.twitter.com/pPQv2oHmyP
— FanDuel Sports Network Detroit (@FanDuelSN_DET) November 26, 2024
His 3-point make followed by a rebound and transition no-look lob to Jalen Duren was one of the highlights of the game.
Ausar Thompson: Making an instant impact
The Pistons struggled to score with their second unit, especially when Jaden Ivey was off the floor, illustrating their need for a secondary creator.
Thompson can potentially be that guy and showed it right away, as he got to the rim twice early for kickouts to wide-open shooters, one of which resulted in a make.
He also had a slick play in which he went under the hoop, flipped it to Tim Hardaway Jr. in the corner and then set a screen to keep his defender from closing out. THJ nailed the shot, but it was called off for a moving screen on Ausar that probably shouldn’t have been called.
If that was a moving screen and called consistently, then Golden State wouldn’t have had a dynasty. I’m biased, but thought it was clean.
Either way, it showed some of the things Ausar can do with the ball in his hands, and the Pistons will need him to.
Thompson also showed what he manes to this team in transition, as he runs the floor hard on every play and puts pressure on the defense. He leaked free late and got a crucial bucket to put the Pistons ahead off a beautiful pass from Isaiah Stewart.
Coach JB Bickerstaff was also able to use Thompson as a defensive presence late when he subbed he and Beef Stew into the game for THJ and Duren.
The Pistons promptly got two stops and two transition buckets. On a side note, Isaiah Stewart was fantastic last night, especially late, when he was patient with the ball, made the right reads and affected everything at the rim.
It will take some time for Thompson to get back to 100 percent, but he flashed the ways he is going to help this team.