The Detroit Red Wings are close to making the playoffs for the first time in a decade. There's a lot to be optimistic about. At the same time, however, concerns have piled up following the annual March Sadness that has plagued the roster.
Detroit Pistons small forward Ausar Thompson knows too well about combatting adversity.
The Pistons, just a few seasons back, broke an NBA record for longest losing streaks, dropping 28 in a row. But, rather than let that failure define them, the Pistons learned from it. Now, they're on the verge of clinching the number one seed in the East on their way toward the playoffs. In an article for The Player's Tribune, Thompson shared what it was like for the Pistons to deal with that painful record -- and how they adapted.
There's a lot the Red Wings can learn from the Pistons.
Pistons turned tragedy into triumph
"My first experience in the NBA was just a bunch of losing. I’d never lost that much in my life," Thompson said. "When you’re 2–29 and you still got 51 games left — like, you’re not even halfway through the year, and you’re already out the playoffs — the season starts to feel long. It’s exhausting. There’s no sugarcoating it."
The Red Wings know too well what exhaustion can do to the roster. NHL insiders reported that the Red Wings were barely hanging on in March. After consecutive injuries to Dylan Larkin and Andrew Copp, things looked bleak. Now, the team is just on the cusp of a playoff spot with seven games left.
"We all came back the next year, and with all the turnover, it was just like a fresh start," Thompson added. The Pistons, after a brutal campaign, came back with a new attitude and new players. Now, Thompson, 23, leads the NBA in steals per game.
No matter how this season ends for the Red Wings, a fresh start is always possible. But Thompson doesn't cite the turnover or the fresh perspective as the main reason they adapted.
He credits the city of Detroit.
How Detroit can shape the Red Wings
"I’d be lying if I said we didn’t have a chip on our shoulder last year. That we didn’t come in with something to prove. But it wasn’t just about getting our lick back.
"It wasn’t about ego. It wasn’t even about the team. It was about Detroit."Ausar Thompson
"I feel like the city where you play shapes a big part of how you play," Thompson said. "The pioneers, the legends never fully leave, especially in a city like Detroit."
The same can be said of the Red Wings, whose front office is comprised almost entirely of Detroit veterans. General manager Steve Yzerman was the former captain of the team. Assistant general manager Kris Draper played over 1,100 games for the Red Wings. Even legends like Nick Lidstrom have come back to help push this team in the right direction.
The Red Wings have to forge their identity through the city of Detroit.
Adversity should fuel Red Wings
Detroit itself has been through quite a bit. Yet, like the phoenix of legends, it always rises from the ashes. Even the flag of Detroit puts it simply. The Latin text reads Speramus Meliora and Resurget Cineribus, which means "We hope for better things" and "It will rise from the ashes".
The city of Detroit has always had a chip on its shoulder. The Red Wings should express themselves the same way. Grit and toughness will win the day. Earlier this season, the team showed they're more than capable of playing at that level. Thursday's game against the Philadelphia Flyers showed it, too.
No matter what happens this season, Hockeytown needs to approach their final leg of the season with the same mentality Thompson does:
"Don’t overthink it. Don’t make it hard. Just play defense and play fast."