Detroit Pistons’ Standout Rookie Leaves Early vs. Dallas Mavericks
As the Detroit Pistons attempted to collect a second-straight win on Saturday night at home, they felt good about their chances initially when the rookie standout Ausar Thompson was putting together an impressive defensive display against Dallas Mavericks All-Star, Luka Doncic.
Unfortunately, Thompson’s night ended prematurely.
After seeing the court for a little over 11 minutes in the first half, Thompson was away from the team when the game started in the second half.
During the game, Thompson was deemed questionable to return due to an illness. The second half came and went without Thompson stepping back out on the court.
It’s unclear what Doncic would’ve been able to accomplish with Thompson on the court, but the rookie’s absence definitely didn’t do the Pistons any favors.
By the end of the night, Luka had made history by becoming the first NBA player to notch six triple-doubles in a row while scoring over 30. In Detroit, Doncic produced 39 points, ten rebounds, and ten assists in 36 minutes of action. The Pistons fell short with a 142-124 loss.
After the game, Pistons veteran Simone Fontecchio discussed the absence of the rookie, stating the obvious — Thompson was missed.
“I said it the last time I was here, he’s an elite defender,” Fontecchio told reporters. “That was too bad that he had to leave. … [Ausar] gave us a lot of help defensively. I was on Luka and tried to do the best I could but he kept hitting step-back after step-back. At that point, it’s tough. We got to do a better job collectively on defense. Stay solid, help each other a little bit more, and try not to give up the easy one.”
As far as how Thompson’s feeling, there was no update from the rookie’s teammate or head coach after the game.
“I hope it was nothing serious,” the veteran added. “I haven’t had the chance to talk to him.”
The Pistons will return to action on Monday night to face the Charlotte Hornets at home. Thompson’s status for the matchup is currently unclear.
