The Pistons head into Madison Square Garden with momentum, but also with a question mark attached to one of their most important young pieces. Ausar Thompson is a game-time call for Detroit’s trip to New York after spraining his right ankle in Friday’s 128-111 win over the Miami Heat, then being held out of Sunday’s victory over the Philadelphia 76ers after warming up. If he sits again, the unbeaten Pistons will still carry a 3-0 record into a matchup with a Knicks team that is still chasing its first win.
Detroit’s start has been built even with missing starters, and the numbers have backed up the early surge. The Pistons are averaging 118.3 points per game while shooting 42.0% from three, and Daniss Jenkins slid into the starting five on Sunday and looked comfortable immediately.
Thompson’s absence would only add to the list, with Jalen Duren sidelined for at least two weeks because of a right hamstring strain. Isaiah Joe is also questionable with a right hip contusion.
The Knicks, meanwhile, are 0-3 and still trying to find traction. They were without Jose Alvarado in Sunday’s loss to the Orlando Magic after he suffered a left ankle sprain, and their offensive numbers have been rough through three games. New York is averaging only 101.7 points a night, with Jalen Brunson shooting 39.1% and Mikal Bridges still without a made three.
Elsewhere Tuesday, Brooklyn travels to Boston with the Celtics dealing with one notable injury concern. The Nets have Tyler Bilodeau listed as questionable with a shoulder problem, while several young Brooklyn players are on G League assignments. Boston is 2-1 after Monday’s 134-99 win over Chicago, but Devin Carter is out indefinitely with mononucleosis, according to Boston Globe reporter Gary Washburn.
San Antonio hosts Sacramento in another game where the injury list shapes the outlook. The Kings are dealing with a long list of absences: Ben Simmons is out for the season after right Achilles surgery, Keegan Murray has a left ankle issue, Maxime Raynaud has not yet debuted because of a right knee sprain, and Dylan Cardwell is out with a left calf strain. The Spurs are missing Tobias Harris for a fourth straight game because of a left calf strain, though he could return at Utah on Wednesday, and rookie Jayden Quaintance remains sidelined after right knee surgery.
Out in Los Angeles, the Lakers bring a 3-0 record into their meeting with Portland, with Luka Doncic driving the fast start. He poured in 52 points in his last game and is averaging 34.3 through three outings.
Portland comes in with its own punch, ranking second in the league in scoring at 126 points per game and first in rebounding at 50.5 a night, and the Blazers could make things difficult if their own injury questions clear up. Shaedon Sharpe remains out with a torn meniscus that carried a six-month timeline in August, while Scoot Henderson is questionable with left ankle soreness and Branden Carlson is in concussion protocol.
The Lakers are close to full strength. Cameron Carr is out with a right oblique strain and Adou Thiero remains sidelined by left knee swelling, though Carr has been assigned to the Coachella Valley Lakers. Walker Kessler is available despite the finger splint that still keeps him listed.
Sacramento’s hope on Tuesday starts with Domantas Sabonis, who leads the league with 17.3 rebounds per game, and Zach LaVine, who is averaging 29.0 points. But a defense giving up 124.0 per game faces a difficult test, with De’Aaron Fox and Victor Wembanyama waiting on the other side. Three of the four teams in these matchups play again on Wednesday, and Detroit will be watching Thompson’s ankle closely as it tries to keep its unbeaten run intact.
In Other News...
Knicks May Have Pulled Off Another Quiet Draft-Night Win
The Knicks used the 30th pick on Sergio de Larrea, then quickly turned that selection into a different kind of asset by sending his rights to the Mavericks for two future second-round picks. It was the sort of maneuver that fits neatly with how New York has tried to work around its salary cap limitations, squeezing value wherever it can find it instead of simply standing pat on draft night.
De Larrea was already playing professionally in Spain, and soon after the draft he helped Valencia win the Liga ACB title, adding another layer to a player the Knicks never intended to keep. New York also knew Dallas had been linked to him and had the front office ties to make the deal work, which is why this looked less like a pass on a prospect and more like a calculated bet on information and timing. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks Just Got Pulled Into A Wild Karl-Anthony Towns Trade Idea
The Knicks have been pulled into an early-season trade idea that already feels bigger than the standings around it. Miami opened with a 0-4 start after reshaping its roster in a blockbuster deal with Milwaukee for Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis, and the rough beginning has only fueled chatter about how the new pieces fit with Bam Adebayo still anchoring the frontcourt.
What makes the speculation more interesting from New Yorks side is the path some are floating to get there: a swap centered on Adebayo and Tim Hardaway Jr. for Karl-Anthony Towns. Nothing has been confirmed by Miami, and the Heat could easily give the group more time to settle in, but the mere fact the Knicks are part of this kind of conversation says a lot about how quickly the league starts chasing the next big idea when a new roster stumbles out of the gate. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks Already Have A Real Andre Drummond Debate On Their Hands
Andre Drummonds first few weeks as the Knicks backup center have already turned into a small but real rotation conversation. He opened the 2026-27 season with a double-double, then saw his minutes dip in the next games as Mike Brown adjusted the lineup, a familiar kind of early-season sorting-out process for a team still figuring out how it wants to use its depth. Even so, Brown has made clear Drummond remains in the backup mix, which matters for a bench frontcourt that needs a dependable presence when the starters sit.
Drummond gave the Knicks a reminder of why that role is worth monitoring in the win over Detroit, when he scored 10 points and grabbed eight rebounds in 14 minutes. It was a cleaner, more productive showing than some of his earlier outings, and it gave New York a useful glimpse of what he can offer when the minutes are there. The larger question now is whether that performance is the start of a steadier climb back into a bigger share of the center rotation. [Read more 🡒]