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The Detroit Pistons took on the Miami Heat in their season opener in South Beach. Rookie Ausar Thompson, perhaps the less heralded of the two Thompson twins taken in the top ten of the 2023 NBA Draft, put on a show in the early going that had fans thinking of Ben Wallace.
The Pistons got tough injury updates on Bojan Bogdanovic and Monte Morris prior to the game. Pistons fans and coaches had high hopes for Marvin Bagley, who was drafted ahead of Luka Doncic, prior to the opener based on his stellar preseason play.
Thompson is just 20 years old but accomplished an amazing feat in the first quarter against the Heat.
Blocks in the 1st quarter:
3 — Ausar Thompson
1 — Miami HeatHe’s only 20 years old. pic.twitter.com/AxCnvHeyrH
— StatMuse (@statmuse) October 26, 2023
Thompson added to his unbelievable rookie stat-line later on heading into the fourth quarter.
Ausar Thompson already has the most blocks (5) all-time on debut for a non-center.
The most all time is held by Shawn Bradley (8), followed by Greg Stiemsma (6)
Still one quarter to play for Ausar.
— Jack Kelly (@jack_kelly_313) October 26, 2023
Thompson was taken fifth overall and wears number nine. He is 6-foot-7, 215 pounds, numbers that would sound imposing if not for the presence of contemporaries like Chet Holmgren and Victor Wembanyama.
As the game wound down into the fourth quarter, the Pistons had outshot the Heat from the field percentage-wise and had outrebounded them. The hungry young Pistons team led by new coach Monty Williams also had 12 blocks to two for the Erik Spoelstra's Heat.
The Heat led in key categories including points in the paint and free-throw percentage, while the Pistons had turned the ball over 16 times to just five for Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and the veteran Heat.
In the end the Pistons lost a 103-102 heartbreaker in a game that former top pick Cade Cunningham dominated.
