The Pistons did not have enough offensive firepower to wing Game 3 against the Magic, but Ausar Thompson surprised everyone by arguably being Detroit's best scorer in the game. As expected, the Pistons cannot find success when this is the case because it indicates that their usual scoring options are all struggling. Ausar himself should be commended for stepping up when no one else could, but it was not enough for the Pistons in this one.
The Pistons shouldn't need to rely on Ausar Thompson to score
Every passing game, the Pistons are realizing the impact of having Thompson on the floor. He dominated Game 2 with his defense in a role that best suits him. Unfortunately, he was forced to do much more in Game 3 as the Pistons' other players disappeared in the first half.
Thompson should be commended for stepping up his scoring aggression at a time when his team desperately need it. Surprisingly, he scored 15 of the Pistons' 52 first-half points. With his teammates struggling to get anything going, Ausar kept the Pistons in the game by finding buckets in any way possible. He scored with unexpected variety, including putbacks and even a pull-up midrange shot.
However, it doesn't take a genius to realize that reliance on Thompson to score in bunches is a negative for the Pistons. That only happens when Thompson is either ridiculously hot (not very often) or everyone else is failing to generate efficient offense. In Game 3, it was more of the later and the Pistons couldn't get anything going even with their usual shooters and scorers.
Ausar Thompson gave the Pistons their only silver lining
The other Pistons woke up in the second half to mount a furious fourth-quarter comeback that fell short, but Thompson should still get the most credit for any positives from the game. His unexpected offensive explosion was essential for keeping the team alive, and his defensive intensity also eventually spread. As usual, he was a playmaker on the less glamorous end; Thompson finished the game with 2 steals and 5 blocks.
If the Pistons can regularly get more scoring aggression from Thompson, their offense could find new life. So far in this series, the Pistons have been woeful in the halfcourt and only Cade Cunningham has been able to score with any efficiency. Detroit is in desperate need of any help for Cunningham, and could get it in the most unlikely source if Thompson maintains this mindset. Even if he isn't scoring directly, Thompson can make an offensive impact with increased aggression by making plays and opening lanes for his teammates too; but none of that will be effective if he's not looking to score.
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