Shorthanded Thunder face struggling Pistons. Ausar Thompson eyes Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, while Jenkins challenges Dort and Wallace. Rim protection looms large.
Oklahoma City has won 17 of 19 games since the All-Star break, and it looks to keep the momentum going against the Pistons. Jalen Williams and Isaiah Hartenstein are sidelined for the Thunder, while Detroit is missing Cade Cunningham, Jalen Duren, Tobias Harris, Duncan Robinson and Isaiah Stewart.
Check out three key matchups for this contest between shorthanded teams.
Ausar Thompson’s Defense
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is in a funk, as he’s shot 38% from the field over his past two games despite generating quality looks for himself. Detroit must extend this slump in order to pull off the upset, and Ausar Thompson is the man for the job.
The former fifth overall pick is a hyper-elite perimeter defender who possesses the necessary size and athleticism to truly bother Gilgeous-Alexander. Thompson ranks second across the league in steals per game, and advanced metrics also adore him.
Only Victor Wembanyama has a better D-EPM, and Thompson ranks sixth in the NBA in LEBRON Defensive Points Saved, which is a metric by Basketball Index that captures “player defensive impact on team success on the aggregate, accounting for teammate and opponent lineup quality, player productivity, luck-driven outcomes, player roles, and small samples.” Wembanyama, Chet Holmgren, Derrick White, Rudy Gobert and Cason Wallace are the five players above Thompson.
Should Gilgeous-Alexander brush off Thompson’s defense, then Detroit does not possess enough firepower to stun the reigning champs.
Daniss Jenkins’ Offensive Impact
Since Cunningham’s injury on March 17, Daniss Jenkins has stepped into the starting lineup and averaged 18.7 points and 7.3 assists per game. He’s one of the only healthy players on Detroit’s roster who can score and create shots for his teammates.
Therefore, look for Oklahoma City to send Luguentz Dort and Cason Wallace in his direction. If Jenkins is overwhelmed by this duo and struggles to make an impact, then Detroit’s offense probably does not crack 100 points barring an outlier 3-point shooting performance.
Chet Holmgren and Jaylin Williams’ Rim Protection
Detroit’s offense is 22nd in three-point percentage this season and 17th since the All-Star break. Perimeter shooting remains a weakness, so the main goal for the Thunder’s defense should be to funnel shots to the Pistons’ shaky shooters.
Chet Holmgren and Jaylin Williams are key pieces for this task. Should they impose their will inside the paint and deter rim attempts, then the Pistons’ offense will be walking on very thin ice tonight.