Just hours after Detroit Pistons forward Ausar Thompson was named Defensive Player of the Month for his work in March, the third-year swingman played a key role in the team’s 113-108 home victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves. 

In a performance that was becoming of the DPOM award, Thompson logged three blocks and two steals in another superb defensive effort, but he also contributed mightily in other facets of the game. AT posted a versatile stat line of seven points, nine rebounds and a career-high nine assists on a night when Detroit needed him to be more assertive without Cade Cunningham in the lineup. 

Thompson was not alone in his duty as a creator against the Timberwolves, though, as Daniss Jenkins picked up a lot of the scoring slack with 26 points, eight assists and five rebounds in the narrow win. The Pistons’ record improved to 13-4 on the season with Jenkins in the starting lineup, which is about on par with the Detroit record when Cunningham is healthy. 

But like Cunningham, Minnesota star Anthony Edwards was injured on Thursday night and did not factor into the contest either. Edwards’ absence also removed him from the end-of-year awards, which is the same position that Cunningham is in as well. 

So, without Cunningham or Edwards in the lineup, the Pistons took an opportunity to keep feeding Jalen Duren the ball, which has been a fruitful endeavor for Detroit over the past several weeks. Duren finished the night with another massive 22-point, 14-rebound double-double for the fourth-year center out of Memphis, and the Pistons needed another strong effort from JD since Isaiah Stewart is still out of action. 

To that effect, Pistons announcer George Blaha mentioned on the broadcast that the team does not expect to see Stewart back in action until the playoffs. This is the first time that anyone surrounding the Detroit organization has offered any kind of timeline on Beef Stew’s absence apart from the injury report, so it is notable that the shot-blocking big man may miss the rest of the regular season. 

At this stage in the calendar, health is of pinnacle important to every squad across the league, and the Pistons have another injury concern to monitor after 15-year veteran forward Tobias Harris left Thursday night’s game early and did not return. 

During the first quarter, Harris was driving to the bucket and collided with a Minnesota defender, and the clash produced a knee contusion for the Detroit forward. Despite an initial questionable ruling for Harris’ return, the Pistons eventually ruled out the forward for the rest of the game, which meant Detroit had to dig a little bit deeper across the bench to produce the cross-conference victory. 

Moving forward, the Pistons have a day off before traveling to Philadelphia for an Eastern Conference showdown against the 76ers that’s scheduled for Saturday, April 4 at 7 pm.

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