Ausar Thompson ☆ Follow

Starts 2 of 2 games · 4th on DET in minutes · Core role

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Every situation, with four seasons of history →

• Podcast Locked On Pistons · 4 points · 6 h ago
  • Host's description: Duren's injury Jalen Duren is not super serious, but it is more serious than Ausar Thompson's. at 1:57
  • Ausar Thompson got hurt against Miami, missed the Sixers game, and was a game-time decision for it. at 2:10
  • The host assumes Ausar Thompson will probably be back Wednesday. at 2:14
  • Host's view: when healthy, Ausar Thompson has had the ball about as much as Cade, using it to create for others rather than to isolate. at 34:53

  “Detroit Pistons Outduel 76ers Without Jalen Duren or Ausar Thompson, Start NBA Season 3-0!” · listen ↗

• Bluesky Omari Sankofa II (@omarisankofa.bsky.social) · Report · 10 h ago

  Daniss Jenkins will start for Ausar Thompson, and Paul Reed will start for Jalen Duren. Sixers starters: Maxey, Caldwell-Pope, Brown, Wade and James.

  original post ↗

• ESPN ESPN · Report · 11 h ago

  Thompson (ankle) is out for Sunday's game against the 76ers, Hunter Patterson of The Athletic reports.

  source ↗

• Podcast Numbers on the Board host · Report · 39 h ago around the league

  Pistons: Paul Reed played the whole second half against Miami after the team lost Ausar Thompson and Jalen Duren during the game. No reason for losing them was given.

  “20 Things We Have Learned So Far | Numbers On The Board” at 13:21 · listen ↗

• Podcast Hardwood Knocks · 2 points · Oct 24
  • A host calls Ausar Thompson's contract a mistake and Amen Thompson's an even bigger one, $50 million larger. In the end he sells Ausar's deal as a mistake but buys Amen's. at 29:36
  • In the Pistons opener Ausar Thompson made some nice passes, a couple in transition. A host says defenses still don't guard him honestly: they go under every screen, and he hasn't shown consistent half-court pick-and-roll setup play. at 29:59

  “The 2026-27 NBA Overreactions Draft!” · listen ↗

• RotoWire Zachary Weinberger of ClutchPoints.com · Report · Oct 23

  Ausar Thompson: Exits to locker room Friday — Thompson (undisclosed) exited to the locker room in the third quarter of Friday's game against the Heat, Zachary Weinberger of ClutchPoints.com reports.

  source ↗

• ESPN ESPN · Report · 17 h ago

  Thompson (ankle) did not participate in Sunday morning's shootaround, Coty M. Davis of The Detroit News reports.

  source ↗

• ESPN ESPN · Report · 37 h ago

  Thompson (ankle) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against Philadelphia.

  source ↗

• Bluesky @hunterpatterson.bsky.social · Report · 41 h ago

  Injuries to Jalen Duren & Ausar Thompson weren’t enough to keep the Pistons from a win. Friday was just another example of why Detroit’s depth makes it so dynamic: “That’s where we can create trouble. We have so many people that can be used as weapons.”

  original post ↗

• ESPN ESPN · Report · Oct 23

  Thompson exited Friday's game with an undisclosed injury and did not return, finishing with four points (2-5 FG, 0-1 3Pt), three rebounds, four assists, one steal, one block and three turnovers across 19 minutes in a 128-111 win over the Heat.

  source ↗

• ESPN ESPN · Report · Oct 23

  Thompson ended Tuesday's 121-113 victory over the Celtics with 11 points (4-8 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 3-3 FT), 11 rebounds, five assists and one steal in 33 minutes.

  source ↗

• Podcast The Mismatch · 3 points · Oct 23
  • A circulating stat (source not named): Ausar Thompson played 33 minutes and guarded 11 different players one-on-one, and none of them scored. at 33:13
  • J.B. Bickerstaff (quoted): Asked what the Pistons did against Jason Tatum, J.B. Bickerstaff answered that they guarded him with Ausar Thompson. at 33:34
  • Ausar Thompson got a contract in the offseason. The host called him a devastating defender. at 33:42

  “The Return of Loves and Loathes. Plus: A Historic Thursday Night.” · listen ↗

• Podcast Locked On Celtics · 2 points · Oct 22
  • Against Detroit, Ausar Thompson defended Tatum well. The host won't say Thompson shut him down: Tatum missed layups, reads and wide-open shots, and his field-goal percentage was low. at 28:12
  • Host says Thompson got a near-max extension, though he's unsure whether it was max or near max. He says Walsh's extension was nowhere near that, implying Walsh also received an extension; no amount is given. at 29:50

  “Mailbag: Blown Leads, Trading Jayson Tatum, and Who is the Second Option?” · listen ↗

• Podcast Locked On Pistons · 2 points · Oct 22
  • In Game 1, Ausar Thompson played about three possessions, by the host's estimate, with the small-ball five, and the defense held up. He led the team in rebounding with 8 defensive rebounds. at 19:25
  • Host's opinion: if Detroit keeps using Collins at small-ball five, it should pair him with Ausar Thompson to survive on the glass and on defense. at 22:46

  “Should The Detroit Pistons ALREADY Make A Rotation CHANGE After Javonte Green's Game 1 Performance?” · listen ↗

• Podcast Gil's Arena host · Report · Oct 22 around the league

  Cade Cunningham had 22 points and 8 assists, and Jalen Duren had 22 points and 9 rebounds. Ausar Thompson had 11 points and 11 rebounds and was guarding Tatum.

  “Bron's Sixers SPOIL Knicks Ring Night, SGA Humbles Wemby & PG's Celtics Debut Sets The Arena Off! Part 2” at 1:00:28 · listen ↗

• Podcast Locked On NBA host · Report · Oct 21 around the league

  For Detroit, Cunningham and Duren had 22 each, Duncan Robinson 21, Javonte Green 19 off the bench, and Ausar Thompson 11-11-5. A host credited their depth.

  “Biggest Opening Night Takeaways: 76ers Impress, Thunder Statement, Celtics Collapse” at 28:26 · listen ↗

• Podcast The Athletic NBA Daily · 2 points · Oct 21
  • The Pistons won the minutes when Cade was off the floor with Ausar Thompson and Jalen Duren. The host credited shooters around them, and said Green's presence lets Ausar play power forward as backline help. at 29:11
  • Host view: Javonte Green unlocks Ausar Thompson at power forward, where he can provide backline help. at 29:22

  “What we learned from a chaotic NBA Opening Night” · listen ↗

• Podcast Locked On NBA · 2 points · Oct 21
  • The Celtics put Neemias Queta and Mitchell Robinson on Ausar Thompson for long stretches. In the fourth quarter, Detroit attacked that coverage by using him as the DHO screener on almost every play. Because the bigs sagged instead of coming up to the level, Duncan Robinson got clean looks or drew fouls. at 32:05
  • Kukiel said Ausar Thompson and Jalen Duren bullied Mitchell Robinson and Neemias Queta on the glass. He said Boston could not punish Detroit's small-ball lineups with John Collins at the five. at 33:27

  “Thunder SWAT Down Spurs, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren Make Opening STATEMENT” · listen ↗

• Podcast Locked On Pistons · 8 points · Oct 20
  • Host analysis: Ausar Thompson can guard only one of Tatum or Paul George. Playing Green with him put two aggressive, ball-denying, physical defenders on Boston's two wings. at 4:36
  • In the fourth quarter the Pistons repeatedly attacked Boston's choice to put a big man on Ausar Thompson. Nearly every possession came from a Thompson screen or a Thompson hand-off (DHO) with Duncan Robinson. at 8:16
  • Host observed Bickerstaff tell Ausar Thompson to have Collins move away so Thompson would set the screen. Cade Cunningham inbounded, went straight into a pick-and-roll with Thompson, and they scored. The host was unsure the screener was Collins ("I believe") and thought Duren was on the bench. at 7:47
  • Duncan Robinson scored 15 points in the fourth quarter, much of it off hand-offs with Ausar Thompson. He also drew eight free throws on fouls by trailing defenders. at 8:32
  • Host analysis: Boston's big would not step up to take away Robinson's threes. That left Robinson open threes or let him draw fouls on trailing defenders. The host says the Pistons should run this every time a team puts a big on Ausar Thompson. at 9:08
  • Offensive scheme change: the Pistons tried to get Cade Cunningham off the ball more and used Ausar Thompson more as a ball-handling playmaker. at 20:35
  • After that, Ausar Thompson played with Collins for a short, better stretch. Bickerstaff then brought in Duren and Javonte Green and dropped the small-ball-five look. at 29:43
  • Host opinion: Ausar Thompson took only eight shots and was excellent as a playmaker, but should have looked for more like 11-12 shots by being more aggressive. at 34:09

  “Detroit Pistons STUN Boston Celtics With Unbelievable Second-Half Comeback Led By... Javonte Green!?” · listen ↗

• Podcast Locked On NBA host · Opinion · Oct 20 around the league

  A host said it would be good to see Ausar Thompson flash some stuff, and asked whether Detroit keeps last year's physicality.

  “LeBron vs. Knicks! Wemby vs. Thunder! NBA Opening Day Preview” at 29:17 · listen ↗

• Podcast Gil's Arena · 2 points · Oct 20 partly checked episode
  • Brendan Haywood said Ausar Thompson has looked a lot more confident on offense in the preseason. Haywood called this the key to Detroit's team. at 1:00:11
  • Gilbert Arenas: Gil dismissed Ausar Thompson's's preseason. He said Asar was only playing against rookies and will go back to normal against the big boys. name not confirmed at 1:00:39

  “GIL'S ARENA NBA FANTASY DRAFT WITH $100K ON THE LINE ! Part 2” · listen ↗

• Podcast The Athletic NBA Daily host · Analysis · Oct 20 around the league

  In preseason, Ausar Thompson showed flashes of creation. A host thought his ball handling and his ability to get downhill and create his own shot looked better.

  “Final Considerations Ahead of NBA Opening Night” at 5:11 · listen ↗

• Podcast Locked On Pistons · 3 points · Oct 19
  • Host says Ausar Thompson's handle looks tighter than last year and he rarely struggled against pressure. One exception: against the Timberwolves, with Anthony Edwards pressing full court, he maybe lost control and got away with a carry. at 4:13
  • Host says Ausar Thompson was aggressive getting to his mid-range shot, including a self-created corner mid-range shot against the Raptors in the last preseason game. at 4:44
  • Host's biggest preseason takeaway was Cade playing off the ball. He describes a possession against the Raptors where Kevin Huerter brought the ball up in transition, then Cade attacked a gap off the catch and found Ausar Thompson for a dunk. at 6:35

  “SEASON OPENER: Did Detroit Pistons Rookie Ebuka Okorie Do ENOUGH To Crack Rotation In Preseason?” · listen ↗

• Podcast Locked On Pistons · 4 points · Oct 16
  • The guest says both Duren and Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson were extended this offseason, and that Duren's deal took longer than hoped. at 4:32
  • In preseason the team has been trying a 'point Asar' look, with Ausar Thompson as ball handler and initiator and Cade off the ball. at 7:00
  • The guest is 'pretty sure' that when Holland and Ronald Holland II and Ausar Thompson shared the floor last season, the defense was sub-100 in defensive rating, though they didn't play much together. at 35:53
  • The guest says opponents turned the ball over 20% of the time when Thompson and Ausar Thompson and Ronald Holland II shared the court. He argues the team didn't capitalize in transition. at 39:49

  “Will Detroit Pistons' UNIQUE YOUNG Trio Cade Cunningham, Ausar Thompson, Jalen Duren BREAK the Mold?” · listen ↗

• Podcast Locked On Pistons · 13 points · Oct 15
  • Duren pushed the break himself after a steal and threw a lob to Ausar Thompson. The host says he led the fast break like a point guard. at 3:37
  • This was the first preseason game in which Cunningham, Thompson and Duren (the 'big three') played together. The host says their minutes together dominated the Timberwolves. at 19:18
  • Ausar Thompson had 4 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists, and took only one shot. at 13:39
  • Ausar Thompson pushed the fast break after defensive rebounds while Cunningham ran to the corner or wing. On one play, Thompson looked off a pass to Kevin Huerter and hit Cunningham on a backdoor cut for an easy basket. at 14:35
  • In transition, a wing set a flare screen for Cunningham, and Thompson hit him with a one-handed pass for a wide-open pull-up three. The host is unsure whether the screener was Huerter or Duncan Robinson. at 15:22
  • The host's read: in this game, Cunningham's usage was cut down a little and split to Duren and Thompson. at 18:24
  • The resulting pick and roll produced an easy Reed basket. The host corrected himself: Reed, not Duren, was on the floor. at 22:02
  • Thompson handled full-court pressure several times, mostly from Anthony Edwards according to the host, and finished with zero turnovers. at 27:58
  • The host would 'almost bet' that Thompson had close to as much on-ball usage as Cunningham. He notes that tracking data isn't available for preseason games. at 28:17
  • Tim Legler and Adam Morris (All NBA podcast) (reported): The host relays (saying 'I think' about the source) that the All NBA podcast with Tim Legler and Adam Morris said Thompson ran more pick-and-roll ball screens in each of the first two preseason games than in any game last year. The host's own recollection, hedged with 'I think', is that he topped 10 pick and rolls only three times last year. at 28:27
  • The host predicts that with the big three on the floor, Thompson will be used more as a point forward who sets up the offense. He expects Thompson to take more shots in other games. at 29:28
  • Thompson's defense on Anthony Edwards: Edwards finished 5-of-15. The host is 'pretty sure' Edwards was 2-of-13 or 2-of-12 before Thompson came out of the game. at 30:04
  • Host caveat: it won't look this good every game. Expect games where Thompson turns it over more, Cunningham misses shots, or Duren is less effective at the rim. at 33:06

  “ELECTRIC: Detroit Pistons’ Jalen Duren DOMINATES, Cade Cunningham & Ausar Thompson Impress!” · listen ↗

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