The NBA Playoffs are quickly approaching and all eyes are on the Detroit Pistons, who have become the talking point of the Eastern Conference with the recent news of Cade Cunningham's expected return.
Detroit has dominated the majority of the regular season, and their strong play has put them in a prime position to make a deep postseason run with home court advantage on its side after securing the No. 1 seed.
Still, doubters have seemingly searched for every reason why the Pistons don't have what it takes to represent the East in the NBA Finals, rather than the reasons they have what it takes to make a championship run.
And while majority of focus will be on the return of Cunningham and the team's supporting cast for their ceiling as an offensive unit, just as much focus should be on the defensive side of the ball, especially considering the old saying 'defense wins championships'.
With that being said, Detroit's playoff hopes could hinge on Ausar Thompson, whose defensive abilities could make or break the team's postseason aspirations.
Ausar Thompson will play a vital role in the Pistons' playoff dreams
Thompson has lived up to the hype in terms of his defensive calling card, and with his All-Defensive campaign this season, it's clear how important a role he'll play in the team's playoff run.
Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff is known for his defensive mindset, and with the chance to game plan for a full seven-game series, expect Thompson to be at the top of the team's defensive strategy, assuming he'll be tasked to defend the top offensive players on the opposing teams.
Obviously, offense will be important to the team's success this postseason, but without the ability to slow down the top playmakers on the opposite end of the floor, Detroit won't have much success regardless of how good they play offensively.
That's where Thompson comes in, and if he can embrace being the defensive stopper the Pistons need him to be, there's no reason why the NBA Finals can't make a stop in the Motor City when it's all said and done.
Pistons have what it takes to make a deep run
The entire discourse over the last month has been about why the Pistons couldn't make it out of the East.
Despite that, there are plenty of reasons why they can be the team to win the Eastern Conference Finals.
The team has a solid defensive foundation, Cunningham is expected to be back, Jalen Duren has proven he can be the No. 2 scoring option for Detroit, and sixth man Daniss Jenkins has emerged as a big-time playmaker when he's had his number called upon.
Detroit is ready to make a run, and they're in the perfect position to silence their critics.