Detroit Pistons earn gritty, comeback 94-90 win over Toronto Raptors
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The Detroit Pistons showed true grit Wednesday night against the Toronto Raptors, overcoming a 17-point deficit to take a 94-90 win and move to 2-1 in NBA Summer League play.
Without Jalen Duran and Jaden Ivey, the two rookies, Ausar Thompson and Marcus Sasser stepped up as leaders on the stat sheet. Thompson, the No. 5 pick in last month’s draft, had 17 points, nine rebounds, three assists and four steals while Sasser, the No. 25 pick, had 15 points and seven assists.
Jared Rhoden also stepped up thanks to a hot start, leading the Pistons with 18 points to go with eight rebounds.
The Pistons squared off against first round pick and Kansas standout Gradey Dick, Rutgers star Ron Harper Jr. and Kansas State’s Markquis Nowell, who became a breakout star during the 2023 NCAA tournament.
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The two teams certainly played a physical game with each one committing a technical and flagrant foul. Aggressive defense around the perimeter led to things getting a little chippy every now and then as both teams played hard throughout all four quarters.
Thompson makes presence known (again)
Thompson continues to prove that the Pistons made the right choice taking him with the fifth pick in the NBA draft. Although outside shooting was a concern before the draft, Thompson has excelled at just about every category in his first three summer league games.
More: Ausar Thompson makes strong impression with Detroit Pistons: ‘He’s a special talent’
General manager Troy Weaver has emphasized the importance of defense and Thompson fits right into that model. He plays aggressive, but smart, giving him the ability to steal the ball away from an opposing player before they can even notice. When Thompson does manage to swipe the ball, he immediately finds a teammate in transition, acting as a catalyst in a scoring play.
Those abilities were on full display against Toronto, especially during two breakaways—one that likely get…
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