Ausar Thompson gave the Pistons something they don’t always get: a night where Cade Cunningham didn’t have to carry the playmaking load.
In Detroit’s win over the Hornets, Thompson finished with eight assists and actually led the team in that category. That alone made it a notable game, but the bigger point was how he got there. Thompson was hesitant to force shots for much of the night, yet he still kept the offense moving and found ways to create.
That kind of production is exactly what Cunningham can use. The Pistons are trying to trim the burden on him during the regular season, and Thompson showed one path to doing that: turn the attention defenses give him into advantage.
The Hornets treated Thompson the way opponents often do, sitting back about 5-6 feet every time he caught the ball above the top of the key. That’s a look Thompson has seen throughout his career, and it continues to shape the spacing issues around him.
He did take a couple of mid-range jumpers, and those are the kind of shots he needs to be willing to pull the trigger on more often when the 12-footer is there. Too often, he holds the ball in that spot instead of letting it fly in rhythm.
But the more effective answer is what he did by attacking the open space. Once Thompson got downhill, defenders had to react. He pulled that off several times against Charlotte, including a late drive that drew most of the defense and opened the door for Cunningham’s dagger 3-pointer on the kick out.
Even when Thompson doesn’t fully collapse the defense, he can still force movement, and that matters. It gives Cunningham cleaner chances as a secondary creator, instead of asking him to do everything himself.
There’s another layer here, too. It’s early, but Cunningham would probably welcome more than the 2.8 catch-and-shoot attempts per game he’s taken so far this season. That part of his game is one of the last steps in his evolution.
Thompson also eased Cunningham’s workload in another simple but meaningful way: he didn’t make him bring the ball up every trip. That may sound minor in the moment, but it adds up fast over the course of a game. Cunningham was fresher for the fourth quarter because he had less to do earlier.
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Nothing is confirmed, of course, and that is where the intrigue lives for Detroit. Still, the fit is easy to see on paper, which is why the speculation has gained traction so quickly around a team that could use more shot-making as it tries to take the next step. [Read more 🡒]
Pistons Suddenly Have A Frontcourt Need Precious Achiuwa Could Solve
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One name that fits the bill is Precious Achiuwa, who is now with the Sacramento Kings and has shown enough recently to keep him on Detroits radar. His contract is manageable, and his ability to line up at both center and power forward gives the Pistons a little more flexibility than a pure backup big would, which is why he makes sense as the kind of trade target that could help patch the frontcourt without forcing a major overhaul. [Read more 🡒]
Ron Holland Showed The Offensive Spark Pistons Fans Have Waited For
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Detroit seized control with a 31-7 third-quarter run and turned defense into easy offense by forcing 24 turnovers, the sort of formula that has fueled this strong start. Hollands scoring outburst fit neatly into that picture, giving the Pistons another dimension on a night when their depth and pressure overwhelmed Brooklyn, and it leaves plenty of curiosity about how much more of that aggression can carry over as the schedule tightens. [Read more 🡒]