After winning just 14 games two years ago, the Detroit Pistons have completely surprised everyone over the last two seasons, winning 104 combined games, and earning the East’s number one seed this year.
The continued ascension of Cade Cunningham has helped with that, but also the emergence of Jalen Duren as his co-star. Duren had the best season of his career this year, averaging nearly 20 points per game and 12 rebounds. He earned his first All-Star selection and is on track to be an All-NBA team member as well.
Duren was expected to keep the momentum going coming into the postseason, but Detroit is struggling with the eight seed Orlando Magic, with Duren being a big reason why.
The Pistons need to accept that Jalen Duren cannot be their second option
Duren has been completely neutralized in this series with Orlando. He is averaging 10 PPG, eight rebounds, three turnovers, and four fouls per game. He has struggled to assert himself in the paint and he has been outplayed by Wendell Carter Jr. Lineups with him have a -3.9 net rating. It has been a disaster.
Duren just looks helpless in the paint. Whenever he rolls to the basket, multiple defenders are waiting. He is getting pushed around defensively, providing almost no rim protection or force on the boards. He is not a perimeter threat, so Orlando can just load up the paint and stop him.
He has not scored more than 12 points or grabbed more than nine rebounds in any game. Carter Jr. meanwhile has two double-doubles to his name, including 28 total rebounds over games three and four, and 13 total offensive rebounds.Â
It has led to head coach J.B. Bickerstaff to lean on Isaiah Stewart more, who has provided elite rim protection and rebounding, two things Duren has not done.
Duren has gone from All-Star center to role player very quickly, which is very concerning for a guy that was on track for a $200 million payday this summer. Now, Detroit has to rethink committing that much money to him and probably get a perimeter co-star for Cunningham.Â
The Pistons are by no means done, as they were able to trim the Magic’s series lead to 3-2, and with Franz Wagner nursing a calf strain, the path is there for Detroit to win this series.Â
However, even if they do somehow manage to get out of this, the questions with Duren will remain the same. He has to turn it around fast if the Pistons want to save their season and if he wants to get his summer payday.
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