Detroit Pistons: Ausar Thompson Set For Major Challenge Vs. Luka Doncic

With the Los Angeles Lakers headed to town tomorrow evening, the Detroit Pistons have one final day to prepare for what should be a significant test. Through two and a half weeks, the Lakers are in first place in the Western Conference at 8-2, and they might also possess the league’s top offense to boot. 

So far, the Lakers rank No. 1 in the NBA for points per game, field goal percentage and offensive rating, so the metrics point to a stout Los Angeles attack with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves at the helm. But in contrasting fashion, the Pistons have the league’s top defensive rating, so both squads have leaned into their opposite strengths this year. 

From a matchup standpoint, the battle that deserves the most attention is the one set to take place between Doncic and Ausar Thompson, and it could dictate the winner of tomorrow night’s game. Over the last seven games, Doncic’s worst outing was a 37-point, seven-rebound, five-assist output against the Golden State Warriors, which is substantial in its own right. However, the subtext is that Luka has scored 40 or more in the other six games of that stretch, so he’s gone nuclear over the past two weeks. 

Now conveniently enough, the Pistons have a dynamic on-ball stopper on their roster that goes by the name of Ausar Thompson who is uniquely suited to deal with Doncic’s scoring threat. While it might be impossible to nullify Luka completely, Ausar can stifle his progress enough to force the Lakers into relying on their second and third-choice outlets on any given possession. 

While Detroit still has to account for Austin Reaves and his scoring impact, solving the Doncic dilemma is a much bigger task at hand. At 6-9 with a new-look stronger frame, Doncic is physically imposing for a primary creator, but that description sort of resembles Cade Cunningham’s role on the Pistons at the same time. So, Thompson has a lot of experience in working out with Cunningham during practice that could come in handy when he guards Doncic tomorrow night. 

From a schematic standpoint, Thompson might need to pull back on how often he blitzes the ball handler since he’ll have the responsibility to stick on Doncic’s hip. To that effect, when Doncic accepts a screen along the perimeter when on-ball, Thompson might be inclined to fight through or weave around those picks to stay locked with Luka all throughout the possession. 

Over the last several games, Thompson has stepped up as a rebounder to help ease the absence of Jalen Duren on the boards, but that job will be more difficult to do if Ausar is chasing Doncic around on the perimeter. Thompson will likely try to juggle both tasks, but that is asking a lot from one player considering Doncic averages 38.5 points per game this year, which ranks No. 1 in the NBA.

Doncic is a generational scorer, so it will be up to the Pistons’ version of a generational defender to meet the occasion tomorrow night.