The Pistons, who hold the top seed in the Eastern Conference, lost their second straight game on Thursday at San Antonio. They also lost their best perimeter defensive player — third-year wing Ausar Thompson — to a right ankle sprain just two minutes into the contest, writes Michael C. Wright of ESPN.com.
“Ausar obviously means a lot to us,” head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “What we were able to do defensively, what he does defensively, the impact he has, obviously, you miss. We just had to figure out a way collectively to pick it up.”
Thompson has already been ruled out of Saturday’s contest vs. Brooklyn, tweets Hunter Patterson of The Athletic. The 23-year-old will be eligible for a rookie scale extension this summer.
Here’s more from Detroit:
- Second-year forward Ron Holland was also forced out of Thursday’s game after sustaining a left eye injury, the team announced (via Twitter). “He got hit in the eye and it was blurred vision. I didn’t want to put him out there, didn’t feel comfortable putting him back in the game if he couldn’t see straight out of that eye,” Bickerstaff said (Twitter link via Patterson). However, Holland should be ready to go on Saturday, as he’s not listed on tomorrow’s injury report, Patterson tweets.
- Guard Cade Cunningham (left quad contusion) is questionable to suit up against the Nets, while center Jalen Duren is probable because of low back spasms, as Patterson relays (via Twitter).
- Veteran guard Kevin Huerter showed on Thursday why the Pistons traded for him last month, writes Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press (subscriber link). Huerter had been out of the team’s rotation of late, receiving a DNP-CD in six of his last seven games heading into Thursday, but he capitalized on his opportunity with Thompson out, contributing seven points (on 3-of-4 shooting), five rebounds, two assists and a steal. He was plus-15 in 17 minutes in the 15-point loss to the Spurs. “It’s different, it’s for sure different,” Huerter said of his role. “I think I also know at this point how to be a pro, how to keep myself ready, staying in the gym. It’s my job to be there and try to learn this offense, figure out our identity on the defensive side of the ball and watch film when I can. But obviously keep myself in shape and sharp as much as I can and control the things I can control.“