Ausar Thompson has been finding offensive success recently as his minutes have gone up. In recent outings where he’s played over 25 minutes, Thompson has been an offensive force with increased scoring aggression and better playmaking. His growth is quickly resolving concerns about his offensive limitations in the playoffs.
Even in the recent pivotal loss to the Cavs, Thompson showed promise with 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting and 6 assists. He was able to use timely cutting and supreme athleticism to attack gaps in the Cleveland defense. Ausar doesn’t need to be a superstar scorer to affect the game; he just needs to make defenses pay when they leave him open.
Ausar Thompson is finding his offensive rhythmÂ
Thompson’s always been a game-changer on defense. His dominance on that end helped keep the Pistons afloat even without another All-Defense candidate in Isaiah Stewart for a few games. But adding more consistent offense makes him a two-way threat just in time for a playoff push.
Recently, Ausar has shown that he can punish weaker defenders not only with off ball cuts but also some self creation. He’s gaining confidence in short midrange shots and can get them off over smaller players. At the same time, more aggression in his drives opens up lanes for playmaking opportunities.
Thompson had seen less minutes than his fellow Pistons starters all season, leading to lots of speculation from fans. But the most likely thing holding him back were his offensive flaws. Ironically, those flaws seem to lessen when he gets more minutes and can play with more confidence.
The Pistons need this version of Ausar for the playoffs
As the weeks count down towards the playoffs, the Pistons can’t afford to have major liabilities on either end. Thompson’s offensive growth will go a long way in making them harder to game plan against over a 7-game series. He’s starting to prove that teams can’t just hide their weakest defenders on him or have their center roam off him to protect the paint.
The Pistons offense often struggles in the halfcourt as is, and Ausar being a non-factor just makes it worse. When the team can find ways to use him effectively and he himself brings the right aggression, it’s a major boost. Sometimes it can even give star Cade Cunningham a well-deserved rest while his teammates run the show for a couple possessions.
Last year, Ausar improved offensively as the season went along and he recovered from injury. Now he seems to be doing the same as he’s freed from the shackles of limited minutes. Hopefully he can bring his best on both sides of the ball for the playoffs when the Pistons will need it most.Â