Pistons' Ausar Thompson: Closes with disappointing effort
Rotowire
Thompson contributed five points (2-7 FG, 1-2 3Pt, 0-2 FT), seven rebounds and two blocks over 29 minutes during Sunday's 125-94 loss to the Cavaliers in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Thompson failed to have much of an impact in the Game 7 loss, bringing to an end what was a dominant defensive performance throughout the majority of the playoffs. In 14 appearances, he averaged 3.8 combined steals and blocks, underscoring his impact on that end of the floor. However, the fact that he is a liability on the offensive end cannot be overlooked. During that 14-game span, he averaged just 8.2 points in 30.5 minutes per contest. For him to become a more well-rounded asset, Thompson will need to boost his offensive production consistently.
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Pistons' Ausar Thompson: Logs four steals in Game 6 win
Rotowire
Thompson racked up 10 points (4-6 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 2-3 FT), nine rebounds, four assists, one block and four steals across 24 minutes before fouling out of Friday's 115-94 victory over Cleveland in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Thompson managed to reach double-digit points for the first time since Game 2 on May 7, but he made most of his presence felt on the defensive end of the floor. It was the third time this postseason that he logged at least four steals, and he has done so in each of his last two games. The Pistons will need Thompson's defensive prowess for Game 7 on Sunday.
Thompson contributed four points (2-3 FG), four rebounds, one assist and one steal across 19 minutes during Monday's 112-103 loss to the Cavaliers in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Thompson had a muted performance on the offensive end and didn't offer much defensively in his limited minutes. The third-year forward logged fewer than 24 minutes for the first time this postseason and finished with a game-worst minus-27 point differential. He'll look to bounce back during Wednesday's Game 5 in Detroit.
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Pistons' Ausar Thompson: Impactful in Game 1 win
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Thompson contributed 11 points (4-6 FG, 3-4 FT), eight rebounds, five assists, one block and one steal in 33 minutes during Tuesday's 111-101 victory over the Cavaliers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Thompson continues to see big minutes on a nightly basis, having logged at least 33 in five of the past six games. Although his regular-season role was frustrating for fantasy managers, it appears that J.B. Bickerstaff has figured out just what Thompson means to this team. Over eight playoff appearances, he has recorded 34 combined steals and blocks and averaged 8.5 rebounds a night.
Pistons' Ausar Thompson: Grabs 15 boards, adds five steals
Rotowire
Thompson posted six points (3-5 FG, 0-2 FT), 15 rebounds, six assists, two blocks and five steals over 36 minutes during Wednesday's 116-109 win over the Magic in Game 5 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Thompson was a beast on the glass, pulling down a game-high 15 rebounds while adding seven combined steals and blocks. Despite inconsistent production on the offensive end, Thompson has delivered elsewhere, averaging 9.4 rebounds, 2.6 steals and 2.4 blocks through the first five games of the series. The Pistons now trail 3-2 and will head to Orlando in hopes of forcing a Game 7.
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Pistons' Ausar Thompson: Briefly leaves game
Rotowire
Thompson briefly left Wednesday's Game 5 against the Magic and went back to the locker room, though he returned to the game moments later, Eric Vincent of ClutchPoints.com reports.
He landed awkwardly after a block attempt and was limping on his way to the back, but he has since returned and appears to be moving around fine.
Pistons' Ausar Thompson: Huge effort on defense in Game 3
Rotowire
Thompson ended with 17 points (7-10 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 3-5 FT), eight rebounds, three assists, five blocks and two steals over 37 minutes during Saturday's 113-105 loss to the Magic in Game 3 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
The seven combined blocks and steals represented his best total since March 20, when the third-year forward racked up seven steals and a block in a win over the Warriors. The 17 points were also Thompson's best performance on offense in the series so far, and he's averaging 12.0 points, 7.7 boards, 2.3 steals, 2.0 blocks and 1.7 assists in 30.0 minutes heading into Game 4 on Monday.
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Pistons' Ausar Thompson: Notches 11 points in win
Rotowire
Thompson amassed 11 points (5-9 FG, 1-2 FT), eight rebounds, one assist, one block and two steals in 28 minutes during Wednesday's 98-83 win over the Magic in Game 2 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Thompson had his fingerprints all over this game as the Pistons leveled the series at one win apiece. Over his first two postseason appearances, he's averaging 9.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 2.5 steals in 26.5 minutes per contest.
Pistons' Ausar Thompson: Blocks three shots in loss
Rotowire
Thompson finished with eight points (4-5 FG), three rebounds, six assists and three blocks over 31 minutes during Monday's 123-107 loss to Orlando.
Thompson was passive on the offensive end, a trend that has hampered him all season. However, he did manage to record at least three blocks for the second time in his past three games, continuing what has been a strong season on the defensive end. Expect him to continue in a similar role for the remainder of the season, and likely into next season as well.
Pistons' Ausar Thompson: Fills stat sheet in win Thursday
Rotowire
Thompson ended with seven points (3-6 FG, 1-2 FT), nine rebounds, nine assists, three blocks and two steals in 31 minutes during Thursday's 113-108 victory over Minnesota.
Thompson failed to score in double digits for a fourth consecutive game, but his limited role on offense doesn't limit his fantasy potential due to his ability to contribute in other areas. Thompson has had at least one tally in each of the five major categories in seven of his past 11 appearances, a stretch in which he's averaging 8.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2.5 steals and 1.1 blocks per game.
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