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Detroit Pistons face San Antonio Spurs in potential NBA Finals preview
Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) enters Frost Bank Center before a game against the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio on Thursday, March 5, 2026.
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Detroit Pistons face San Antonio Spurs in potential NBA Finals preview
Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) enters Frost Bank Center before a game against the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio on Thursday, March 5, 2026.
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Detroit Pistons face San Antonio Spurs in potential NBA Finals preview
Detroit Pistons guard Daniss Jenkins (24) enters Frost Bank Center before a game against the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio on Thursday, March 5, 2026.
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Detroit Pistons face San Antonio Spurs in potential NBA Finals preview
Detailed view of the shoes worn by San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) before a game against the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio on Thursday, March 5, 2026.
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Detroit Pistons face San Antonio Spurs in potential NBA Finals preview
Detroit Pistons guard Ausar Thompson (9) enters Frost Bank Center before a game against the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio on Thursday, March 5, 2026.
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Detroit Pistons face San Antonio Spurs in potential NBA Finals preview
Detailed view of the shoes worn by Detroit Pistons forward Duncan Robinson (55) before the game against the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio on Thursday, March 5, 2026.
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Detroit Pistons face San Antonio Spurs in potential NBA Finals preview
Detroit Pistons forward Duncan Robinson (55) warms up before the game against the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio on Thursday, March 5, 2026.
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Detroit Pistons face San Antonio Spurs in potential NBA Finals preview
Detroit Pistons guard Caris Levert (8) warms up before the game against the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio on Thursday, March 5, 2026.
SAN ANTONIO – The Detroit Pistons lost a key starter early into their road game against the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday, March 5.
Ausar Thompson exited the game at Front Bank Arena with 9:54 remaining in the first quarter after rolling his right ankle during a drive to the rim.
Detroit Pistons guard Ausar Thompson (9) enters Frost Bank Center before a game against the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio on Thursday, March 5, 2026.
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Thompson has already been ruled as questionable to return to the game, the team announced minutes later on social media, with the injury listed as a right ankle sprain.
Ron Holland (left eye) also left the game for good with 6:59 remaining in the third period after he was hit in the face by Victor Wembanyama, leaving the Pistons without their top two perimeter defenders. Holland started the second period following Thompson’s exit.
Thompson has been a key part of the Pistons’ rapid climb to the top of the Eastern Conference during the 2025-26 season, thanks to his defensive skills.
Named the Eastern Conference Defensive Player of the Month for January, Thompson is averaging 1.9 steals and 0.9 blocks per game this season.
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Thompson, the No. 5 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, is also averaging 10.4 points, six rebounds and three assists a game in his third season.
He previously missed four games in November with a right ankle sprain.
This is a developing story.
Contact Omari Sankofa II at osankofa@freepress.com. Follow him on Bluesky and/or X @omarisankofa.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Ausar Thompson injury update as Detroit Pistons wing exits vs Spurs