The Detroit Pistons suffered a disappointing 112-101 loss to the Orlando Magic in Game 1 on Sunday, putting them behind the eight-ball to begin the NBA postseason. In a game they trailed from start to finish, the Pistons had a ton of problems on both ends of the floor that they need to solve before Game 2.
Near the top of the list is Ausar Thompson and how he fits in this series.
Earlier in the week, Thompson was announced as a finalist for the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award. While this is well-deserved for his impact in the regular season, the playoffs are a different beast. Thompson's shortcomings were put on display against the Magic and were a big factor in the unexpected loss.
Pistons Must Solve the Ausar Thompson Problem Before Game 2
Thompson's shortcomings were on the offensive side of the ball.
Orlando made the savvy decision to put Jalen Suggs on Thompson, which ended up with him wreaking havoc all over the court. Suggs was able to sag off of Thompson and disrupt everything the Pistons were trying to run. He had three steals and a block in the first half by helping off of Thompson, which helped the Magic set the tone and build an early lead.
Thompson finished the game with eight points on 3-of-7 shooting (42.9%) from the field. He allowed the Magic to pack the paint and make it difficult for the rest of the Pistons.
As a result, head coach J.B. Bickerstaff didn't have Thompson in his closing lineup. The Overtime Elite product ended up playing 25 minutes.
If you are a DPOY finalist, you can't be benched at the end of games because of your offense. You need to find a way to get on the court by at least being passable on the other end of the floor.
Perhaps a bigger issue is that Thompson didn't make a noticeable defensive impact. He was tasked with guarding Desmond Bane, and he did a great job taking him out of the game. However, Orlando was still able to put up a solid 113.1 offensive rating on Paolo Banchero's shoulders.
Even in a down season, Banchero is Orlando's best offensive weapon, and the Pistons have to slow him down first. The fact that Thompson wasn't given the task to guard Banchero certainly raises some eyebrows.
Whether that will be an adjustment in the second game remains to be seen. Regardless, it's clear that Bickerstaff has a ton to think about how to best use Thompson. After how things went in Game 1, it's hard to say with certainty that he should remain such a big part of Detroit's rotation as the playoffs continue.
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