The Detroit Pistons have tasked Ausar Thompson with being more this season – more aggressive, more confident, more omnipresent.
The 2025-26 All-Defensive first team member is being tasked with more responsibility, and higher expectations, on offense. During the Pistons' 121-113 win over the Boston Celtics at Little Caesars Arena on Tuesday, Oct. 20, the 23-year-old showed what more
looks like in a game.Thompson finished with 11 points, 11 rebounds and five assists in a strong two-way performance. The defense was strong per usual, but his performance on offense showed the ways he has become more comfortable in his game. He brought the ball up the floor as a primary playmaker, allowing Cade Cunningham to play off the ball more. Thompson's playmaking
was sharp.
And he took matters into his own hands when necessary, hitting a shot-clock buzzer-beating jumper late in the fourth quarter that proved to be the dagger.
After signing a five-year, $155 million extension in September, Thompson is rounding out his game and proving he can be a factor on offense, rather than someone defenses can ignore.
"(It) makes us harder to guard," coach J.B. Bickerstaff said after the opening win. "The way that they have to play him is going to be different. Being able to hide [Cunningham] a little bit and run some action and bring him back to the ball so they can’t just stare him down all the time.
"We want Ausar to be aggressive. We said that pregame, we want him to be assertive, put pressure on people. I was most pleased he had 11 rebounds, that was important for us to close out possessions because that’s what the Celtics do is come up with offensive boards. All-around great game for Ausar. He makes us a better basketball team."
Tuesday featured several plays that, in the past, Thompson may not have capitalized on. The most significant was his midrange jumper over Celtics big man Neemias Queta's outstretched arm with 41 seconds remaining. He received the ball with four seconds left on the shot clock, crossed to his left, pumped and knocked it down from inside the free-throw line as time expired.
Ausar Thompson rattles in the big clutch jumper over Neemias Queta to beat the shot clock, barely releases on time (with replays) pic.twitter.com/KFToHylvwt
— MrBuckBuck (@MrBuckBuckNBA) October 20, 2026
Shooting the ball – long the biggest weaknesses in Thompson's game – is slowly becoming a larger part of his game. He hit several midrange jumpers during preseason and even attempted a corner 3-pointer on Tuesday. He missed it, but it was notable considering he only took 24 shots from the arc last season, making six.
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Beyond hitting jump shots, Thompson also utilized his strength and improved handle.
In the third quarter, he drove past Celtics wing Baylor Scheierman by using his shoulder to create space before turning the corner, creating room under the basket with a short hop, and finishing a layup through contact. Teams like to hide weaker defenders on Thompson and some play way off him – as Boston did and held the Pistons scoreless for 6 minutes in the second quarter – which gives him opportunities to attack. He has to take advantage.
Thompson's ridiculous 360 layup in the second quarter showed his athletic gifts.
360 SPINNING LAYUP.
— NBA (@NBA) October 20, 2026
Sweet move by Ausar Thompson on NBC and Peacock 😳 pic.twitter.com/e46aKoXRZu
"AT’s been working his tail off, man," Jalen Duren said. "Just over the years he’s put in so much work. He’s a gym rat, he’s a guy who consistently wants to get better, he’s a guy that loves the game. I’m not surprised about his progression and I think he’ll only continue to get better.
"He does so much for us that might not even show up on the stat sheet but he’s so, so valuable for our team because we put him in so many different positions and have him guard so many different positions and do different things on offense and he never complains. He just picks it up and goes with it. He’s a hell of a teammate and I’m glad to be his running mate."
Thompson's passing, already a strength, consistently created good opportunities for his teammates. A fastbreak push off a missed Celtics 3-pointer led to a no-look pass from Thompson to John Collins for a dunk.
In the fourth quarter, Thompson helped extend the Pistons' clinching 23-0 run with a full-court pass over the top of the defense to Duren, who made the layup through contact and hit the and-1 free throw.
The Pistons will continue using Thompson to take pressure off Cunningham. The strategy will be put to the test during a three-game road trip against Eastern Conference contenders featuring the Miami Heat (Friday), Philadelphia 76ers (Sunday) and defending champion New York Knicks (Tuesday).
Through one game at least, Thompson showed he can thrive in his enhanced role.
"Coaches tell me they have faith in me to, when Cade is maybe tired or maybe they’re hawking him, just to bring it up," Thompson said, "lead the offense and the guys help me setting screens, [Duncan Robinson] coming off, flying off, they make it easy for me. And just watch more film and be quicker with my reads. That’s the next step."
Contact Omari Sankofa II at osankofa@freepress.com. Follow him on X and/or Bluesky.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Ausar Thompson's new toolkit might be what Pistons have been missing
