Ausar Thompson Ruled Out Sunday Against 76ers With Ankle Sprain

The Detroit Pistons are officially putting Ausar Thompson on ice for Sunday's matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers. After rolling his right ankle in the third quarter of Friday's win over the Miami Heat, the second-year wing missed shootaround and has been officially downgraded to out by the team.

If you are relying on a Detroit Pistons role player to anchor your fantasy basketball matchup on a Sunday, you are either a sicko or a genius. Either way, you need a backup plan right now. Thompson's absence leaves a massive void in the peripheral stat categories that make him an absolute darling for the very online hoops crowd.

"Underdog NBA reported Thompson is officially listed out for Sunday."

Thompson has been stuffing the stat sheet this season with a bizarrely balanced 7.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game. He is the exact kind of player who can ruin a traditional parlay by refusing to shoot the basketball, while simultaneously cashing every rebound and assist prop on the board before the fourth quarter even starts.

The injury itself happened on a non-contact play against Miami, which is always the exact phrase that makes medical staffs and fans hold their collective breath. Fortunately, early reports suggest he avoided a major structural issue, but the Pistons are not exactly in a rush to push their young core through early-season sprains.

This is not Thompson's first battle with lower-body mechanics, either. He missed time with right ankle sprains in both November of last year and March of this spring. When a guy relies this heavily on elite athleticism and lateral quickness to stay on the floor, you simply do not mess around with a wobbly hinge.

With Thompson in street clothes, expect the Detroit rotation to get a quick shuffle. Marcus Sasser is the most likely candidate to see a bump in usage, which means bettors should keep a close eye on his prop lines once the books adjust to the missing minutes.

For now, Thompson will get a front-row seat to watch his team try to steal a road win in Philly. The Pistons have not given a firm timeline for his return, but anyone holding his stock should monitor the injury report heading into next week's slate.