The Regular Season is Underway, Optimism in Losses, and Ausar Thompson | The Weekly Drive
The Pistons have started the season 0-3, but there are wrinkles of optimism despite the record.
Good morning Pistons fans, and thanks for checking in on the Palace of Pistons Weekly Drive. The regular season is here and the NBA is back in action. We will recap the first almost-week of the Pistons’ season, the upcoming schedule, and the health of Ausar Thompson. Let’s get into it.
New Start, Familiar Territory
Yes, the Pistons started the 2024-2025 season 0-3. No, this does not necessarily mean they are headed toward another disastrous campaign. Read between the lines and you’ll find an improved team that has made some meaningful strides from last season. Here is a quick recap of those first three contests:
Game 1: Pacers 115, Pistons 109
Rapid Detail: Indiana had to rally the win, but this was a game that Detroit should have found a way to win. A big reason for the collapse? The veterans on the roster went cold in the second half.
Game 2: Pistons 101, Cavaliers 113
Rapid Detail: Boy, Cade Cunningham is a bonafide star. I attended this game at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse and it was embarrassingly evident how much better Cunningham is than anyone else on Detroit’s roster. He had an excellent first three quarters, but was slowed down significantly in the fourth quarter.
Game 3: Celtics 124, Pistons 118
Rapid Detail: Another game that the Pistons fought tooth and nail in, but came up short. Detroit outscored Boston by 10 in the third quarter and eventually took the lead, but faltered down the stretch against the defending champions. Moral victories are still losses in the standings, but the Pistons showed a lot of heart in willing their way back from a big deficit. As an aside, Detroit sorely missed Ausar Thompson’s defense in crunch time.
The Pistons will hit the road in three of their next four games: at Miami (10/28), at Philadelphia (10/30), vs New York (11/1), and at Brooklyn (11/3). It’s a tough stretch to start the season, but Detroit will break through in one of these games.
Ausar Update
Detroit has really missed Thompson’s defense this week, and it really may have made a difference in crunch time against the Pacers and Celtics. The NBA’s Fitness-To-Play Panel has not cleared the second-year forward. It’s a complex issue and not one that the Pistons have a lot of control over. Because blood clots are a life-threatening ailment, a particular NBA committee has to agree to let Thompson resume playing. Chris Bosh and Mirza Teletovic endured similar issues, so there is some precedence. But it may take some time before we see Thompson on the court.
What are your thoughts on the Pistons so far? Are you encouraged by the start, despite the losses, or do you feel its more of the same? Malik Beasley is encouraged, going so far as to say the team is “right there” even though they are 0-3. Let us know how you’re feeling just a few games into the season. Personally, I remain optimistic that the breakthrough is on the horizon.
Thanks for reading, and see you all next week.
Mike