Ausar obviously means a lot to us. What we were able to do defensively, what he does defensively, the impact he has, obviously you miss. We just had to figure out a way collectively to pick it up.
The Detroit Pistons are 8-2 in their last 10 games and now boast a 34-11 record - six games ahead of the 29-18 New York Knicks and Boston Celtics, the conference's respective Nos. 2 and 3 seeds. They're running away with the Eastern Conference, despite one big weakness: shooting. That's where Chicago Bulls combo guard Coby White could come in. Evan Sidery of Forbes reports that the Pistons, who currently have a $14.3 million trade exception, are contemplating a potential deal for White.
The Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons will be without starters Jalen Duren and Tobias Harris for at least the next few games, the team announced Saturday. Duren, who has a left ankle strain, and Harris, who has a left hip strain, won't travel to Cleveland for Sunday's game against the Cavaliers. Duren will be reevaluated in one week; Harris will be reevaluated in two weeks.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. -- Kawhi Leonard scored a career-high 55 points, James Harden added 28 and the LA Clippers extended their winning streak to a season-high four games with a 112-99 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Sunday night. Leonard went 17-of-26 from the floor, including 5-of-10 from 3-point range, and made 16 of 17 free throws, with his only blemish of the game a missed free throw in the third quarter that ended his run of 64 straight from the line, all this month.
There are very few role players who can open up the floor and create space like he can. The kind of scoring gravity he brings to the hardwood is just insane for a role player. Defenses will never ignore him because they know the range, quick shot release, and ability to catch fire that he carries with him. He often gets guarded like Stephen Curry because opposing teams know how quickly he can shift a game.
"I know I can't be replaced," Stewart told ESPN recently. "I don't say that to be arrogant, but I know I resonate with the city. I was here in the trenches, setting the culture when nobody didn't give a f--- about Detroit."
