The Knicks hadn’t seen this version of Ausar Thompson yet. But he was key to keeping the Pistons alive.
Thompson really showed up for the game, making it one of his best performances in the series and in his young career. The Knicks sadly lost to the Pistons with a final score of 106-103 on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden. Thompson scored a whopping 22 points, shooting 8-for-10 from the field, grabbed seven rebounds, and blocked two shots. This was a significant improvement considering he usually focuses more on defense. The 22 points were a season high for him and matched his career best. Before Game 5, he was only averaging 7.5 points per game, but he really stepped up his game this time around.
“We were watching how they play and where they like to help from,” Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff commented. “He’s one of those guys, because of his size and athleticism, he’s elite at finishing around the basket. Give his teammates credit, because he was assisted when his teammates were able to make plays, made the second read because of how they were defending us.”
Thompson took advantage of the Knicks’ strategy of double-teaming Cade Cunningham, leaving him open for easy baskets near the rim. He was in the right place at the right time, often lurking around the dunker spot.
“It helps us create an advantage when they do that,” Thompson shared. “I’m super comfortable when they do it. I get excited.”
After spending most of the fourth quarters on the bench in previous games, Thompson finally got more playing time on Tuesday. Bickerstaff decided to keep him on the court for the majority of the final quarter, only subbing him out for one offensive possession. Thompson played the last 7:35 of the game, and his layup with 27.4 seconds remaining gave the Pistons a crucial six-point lead.
He also managed to contain Jalen Brunson defensively, limiting him to just 16 points on 4-for-16 shooting. Keeping Brunson in check prevented him from taking over the game in the final moments, which had been a concern in previous matchups.
“Ausar, from a mental standpoint, the want to, there’s not [many] more people out there that want to get a stop the way that he does,” Bickerstaff praised. “Gifted athletically, he’s got great instincts. The fun part is he gets to see [Brunson] over and over and over again and then he grows every single game on understanding what’s the best way to defend him.”
Thompson’s stellar performance was a game-changer for the Pistons, who managed to stay alive in the series thanks to his contributions. The Knicks will have to come up with a new game plan to counter Thompson’s impact in the next matchup.
