The Pistons are quickly realizing Ausar Thompson's importance as the team struggles in his absence. They have now played nearly three whole games without him and looked worse on both ends. Their most recent loss against the Heat further emphasized how much Thompson does to impact the game.
Ausar has faced criticism for his lack of offensive development, but was starting to figure it out prior to his injury. He showed improved aggression and playmaking as his minutes increased. And his defense always stands out, as he's able to disrupt plays at the point of attack or as a help defender. Without him, the Pistons' defensive identity looks particularly lost.
Ausar Thompson's injury has highlighted his value
Without Thompson to clean up his teammates' defensive flaws, the Pistons have struggled. Other starters have been exposed for their weaknesses that aren't visible when Ausar is making plays. And the Pistons have had some terrible defensive performances as a team.
Ausar sprained his ankle just 2 minutes into Thursday's game against the Spurs. The Pistons ended up surrendering 121 points to San Antonio in that game, then followed it up with 107 allowed to the Nets and now 121 again to the Heat. All three have been losses as well.
The defensive impact of Thompson's impact was expected. He's a first-team All-Defense candidate for a reason. Not only is he a lockdown individual defender who can erase star players, he's also a menace in passing lanes and backside help. Ausar averages nearly 2 steals and 1 block per game - numbers that still underrate his overall impact as a disruptor.
Ausar Thompson's offensive impact is underrated
But the Pistons are also now seeing how much Ausar does to help the team score points. His offensive stats don't jump off the page at all - just 10 points and 3 assists per game. He's not much of a halfcourt threat, but he can get some nice finishes with well-timed cuts or putbacks on offensive rebounds.
However, Ausar's true offensive value lies in his ability to generate fastbreak opportunities. Through his defensive brilliance, Ausar forces a ton of turnovers and missed shots. And he's often one of the first Pistons running in transition. Detroit is at its best when they are running off those defensive stops, and nobody creates those chances like Ausar.
Even if this strategy isn't as viable in the playoffs as the game slows down, it's led to incredible success this regular season for the Pistons. Losing Thompson for an extended period will have a huge impact on the Pistons' record that pure counting stats wouldn't be able to predict. This stretch should have a major impact on contract extension talks between Thompson and the Pistons this summer.