DETROIT — There’s no hiding the importance defense plays in what the Detroit Pistons have accomplished to this point as a team.
With the top record in the Eastern Conference, Detroit is setting a particularly high standard as the NBA leader in blocks (6.3) and steals (10.6) per game while holding the second-best defensive rating behind the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The impact team-wide is first and foremost, but with their elite play is coming individual recognition as forward Ausar Thompson was named Eastern Conference Defensive Player of the Month for games played in January.
Thompson, 23, is one of the top young defenders in the NBA and he had a huge month ranking first in the league with 2.4 steals per game, fifth in the East in deflections per game and led the Pistons to the best defensive rating in the NBA for the month.
But getting the award began with a challenge from teammate Isaiah Stewart, who got the same honor in December.
“I was shooting for it. Me and (Stewart) were talking after he won it, he told me to go win it. I was like, ‘We might as well keep it on the Pistons,’” Thompson said Tuesday. “Next month too, whoever it is.”
The Pistons mainly preach the value of individual honors as it pertains to the respect it shows of the team as a whole.
That mindset might be shown best when the Pistons manage to string together this particular honor with two defenders being tasked with very different defensive assignments.
Thompson works primarily around the perimeter, being asked to lock down the opposing team’s top scorer and be a disruptive force there while Stewart controls the paint, ready to use his freakish athleticism and wingspan to knock down shots.
“It is not easy to play the style of basketball we play defensively every single night,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “We understand that we ask our guys to carry a heavy load in doing that, but it just shows that they’ve committed to doing it from top to bottom. For it to be (Stewart) one month and then Ausar one month, it shows that it’s not just one guy that’s bought into it.”
Thompson and Stewart both say they want to win the award back for February, fueling their internal competition.
But Thompson also said he wouldn’t count out star guard Cade Cunningham as a “sneaky” contender to add to Detroit’s defensive honors in the next month.
What Daniss Jenkins’ status could mean
The Pistons made a bit of an unexpected addition to their injury report as two-way guard Daniss Jenkins was ruled out with a G League designation for Thursday’s game against the Washington Wizards.
While the Pistons will need to face a depleted Wizards team without their key reserve guard, this move seemingly gives Detroit something it loves — flexibility.
Thursday’s game would’ve been the 50th and final game Jenkins could be available for the Pistons under his two-way deal. It also coincides with Thursday’s NBA trade deadline.
If this year is anything like last season’s deadline, the Pistons are going to be looking for deals up until the final moment.
But when Detroit finally converts Jenkins to a standard contract — which the Pistons can do unilaterally even if they don’t settle on a long-term deal with Jenkins’ representation — it requires another roster spot.
The Pistons may stand pat with trades and just need to waive someone else to open that final spot, but it’s probably worthwhile to keep their options open if Detroit can make a deal that opens up another roster spot, instead.
That could simply be tacking a player onto a larger trade or if the Pistons decide to deal multiple players out and bring back one fewer, it’s leaving the door open for anything that comes up at the last second.
Bickerstaff was fairly adamant Jenkins isn’t going anywhere. And if there’s any hold up with the roster as trades getting finalized can spill past the deadline, the Pistons would probably prefer to make sure Jenkins is available for Friday night’s marquee matchup with the New York Knicks on the two-way deal than risk not having him if they’re still wrapping up business.
Kevin Huerter has arrived
The Pistons’ key trade acquisition heading into trade deadline day, wing Kevin Huerter, was present at Detroit’s practice at their facility on Wednesday.
The team was still awaiting physicals to be finalized after practice so Bickerstaff opted to “wait to comment” on Huerter’s addition or Jaden Ivey’s departure. But Huerter spent time getting active with his teammates during the open portion of the practice.
He’s considered questionable to play against the Wizards, with the trade still pending the results of the physicals. Dario Saric has already been declared out for the game by the Pistons.
The band is back together in Los Angeles
Cade Cunningham spoke it into existence for weeks.
In his first trip to the All-Star game as a starter, he wanted Bickerstaff serving as the coach of his team and Jalen Duren playing alongside him as part of the new three-team format for the event.
He got his wish as the All-Stars were divvied up into Team World, USA Stars and USA Stripes on Tuesday.
Bickerstaff will coach the USA Stars team featuring Cunningham, Duren, Suns guard Devin Booker and the 76ers’ Tyrese Maxey, among others.
While Cunningham was pleased and Bickerstaff excited about the arrangement, Duren had some other ideas in mind.
“I was hoping to go against them and beat them,” Duren said. “But now that I found out I’m on a team with them, we’re going to go out and represent the city, try to get a dub.”
All-Star weekend takes place Feb. 13-15 with Duren reportedly taking part in the Slam Dunk Contest, as well.