Like Pistons’ Ausar Thompson, Jalen Duren, 5 victories against NIX went into the game to save the Detroit season alive

New York. Once again, Cade Cunningham was in the hands of Detroit pistons on Tuesday. In the game of the 5th series “Pistons in the first round” against New York NIKS, Star guard scored 13 out of 24 points in the fourth quarter, including pulling up about four minutes to play, a couple of minutes and a couple of penalties that sealed 106-103 victory in the last seconds.

It was not the show Cade Cunningham. During the break, the All-Star guard had four points for shooting 2-in-8. He worked well, managing the team, which often meant to get out of the ball and trust his teammates. NIKS consistently sounded the peaks of Cunningham, actually daring to other pistons to defeat them. They did again and again.

In particular, the 22-year-old guard Ausar Thompson and the 21-year-old center Jalen Diren did. And their efforts were critical, as the pistons retained their season and sent the series back to Detroit for game 6 on Thursday.

Thompson finished with 22 points for shooting 8 to 10, plus seven rebounds, two blocks and 29 minutes of defense throughout the world from the New York star, Jenn Brunnson.

“I think that it all started with Ausar and his protection,” said the coach of the idra, J. B. Bickerastaff. “Tonight he was phenomenal.”

Thompson was compared with Brunzon at the beginning of each game in this series, but, having entered Game 5, he did not play many minutes of the fourth quarter due to a combination of unpleasant problems and lack of severity of shooting. On Tuesday, Brunzon finished with 16 points for shooting 4 to 16, plus four revolutions. It was not All Thompson does, but Branson had problems with creating a place against Thompson one on one, and he had to work to turn off Thompson from him.

Thompson said that he “was aggressive, but was smart, knowing what positions I am and did not allow (Branzon) to take advantage of this.”

In one of the second quarter, Brunzon thought that he had found two simple points in the crossing, only for Thompson to fly up behind the exciting block-press:

Branson is not an elite scorer, he is a master of dark art with unpleasant drawing. He constantly hesitates, accumulates and turns, always seeks to use even the most tiny mistake. On Tuesday, Thompson finished with five fouls, but was never in trouble. He did not take anything in the first half, and his latter was a deliberate folus to prevent Nix from getting into a 3 pointer right at the end of the game.

“The funny thing is that he sees a guy again and again and again, and then grows every game, understanding how best to protect him and how to make it so difficult,” Biekerstaff said. “You remember earlier in the series, he received a couple of cheap (fouls) in the back zone, because he was excessively squeezing. Now you see how he returns back, still turning it, but he does not receive these cheap ones, he can remain on the floor and be influential. So it’s interesting to see how he studies and goes out and execution. ”

Pistons guard Dennis Schroeder said that Thompson is “one of the best defenders that I saw”, thanks to his outrageous athletism and the ability to move his feet.

“When he becomes a little smarter with this, he remains on pumping fakes and trifles – then he will become a defender of the year,” said Shreder. “I see it.”

Thompson does not pose a threat to the range of 3 points, but he repeatedly damaged New York, working from Dunker. On three separate possessions, he finished in the paint after Cunningham attracted two to the ball around the perimeter and found diren in his pocket. On the other, he threw a lane from Thompson.

Detroit entered the game with the intention of using his capabilities of 4 by 3. “It is very convenient for me when they (Blitz Cunningham),” Thompson said. “Honestly, I am excited when they do it.” He attributed to Canningham and Duren for creating opportunities for him.

Thompson’s success was a function of pistons, realizing how to exploit NIX. They did not play anything close to the perfect game in the attack – they shot 8 for 29 (27.6%) from the depths – but they knew where the pressure points were.

“We wanted to continue to play quickly, making sure that we continued to play quickly, also put Branson in effect to Karl Entoni Towns,” Schroeder said.

Schroeder said that it was “light basketball at the offensive end.” Cunningham is the “head of the snake,” he said, “having done a great job, just putting people in place. (Duren) Playing a pocket, search (Thompson) for quick dunes. Today it was huge. I think the young guys have done an excellent job. ”

Duren finished with nine glasses, 14 rebounds (including seven on offensive glass), six gear and two blocks in 33 minutes. In short -term situations, he is “a really good passerby and a playmaker,” said Bickerstaff. In this series, this is just about “understanding the situation, reading protection, and then about completing the play.”

Cunningham carries a large cargo for the pistons. As a leader, however, part of his work is to expand the capabilities of his teammates, especially when the opposing team tries to pull the ball out of his hands. If New York decides to change his strategy, Detroit will be adjusted accordingly, but Cunningham welcomes the treatment that he receives now.

“It’s fun to see how we move the ball and get a dunk, we get downtime, with an effective attack,” said Cunningham. “I mean, this is what you want, as a coach, a team playing. I mean, that’s all you dream about. ”