The Cleveland Cavaliers are heading to the conference finals after turning Game 7 into a statement with a 125-94 win over the Detroit Pistons.
Cleveland will now face the New York Knicks, but the route there was shaped by an intriguing tactical shift: Kenny Atkinson’s side changed how they attacked Detroit’s best defender.
That adjustment clearly helped spread the scoring burden as Donovan Mitchell had 26 points, Jarrett Allen scored 23, Sam Merrill added 23 and Evan Mobley finished with 21.
Kenny Atkinson says Cavaliers built plan around avoiding Ausar Thompson
Atkinson admitted after the game that Cleveland’s key adjustment was avoiding Ausar Thompson. His explanation showed just how much respect the Cavaliers had for Thompson’s defensive impact.
The coach stated: “I do think the tactical adjustment we made was avoiding [Ausar] Thompson. We were just like, ‘If he’s near the ball, throw it to someone else.’”
“I’ve never experienced that in the NBA. Even if you have a great player with the ball and he is on him, pass it to someone else.”
Ausar Thompson’s reputation still grows despite losing DPOY award
Thompson’s Game 7 loss should not reduce the wider recognition of his defence. His profile has continued rising, even after missing out on Defensive Player of the Year honours to Victor Wembanyama.
Jeff Teague recently called Thompson the best defender he had ever seen, praising his blocks and disruptive athleticism.
That reputation explains Cleveland’s caution. Thompson has become a defender opponents actively avoid, not just one they respect. In Game 7, the Cavaliers solved that problem by refusing to test him unnecessarily.
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