It has been a few years since the Detroit Pistons were relevant in the regular season, as they have spent a lot of time in the cellar of the Eastern Conference. The only positive to come out of such a stretch is that you will be picking near the top of the NBA Draft, compiling some great young talent.
That is exactly where the Pistons are now, as that young talent is beginning to translate on the court. One of those talented young players is starting center, Jalen Duren. The No. 13 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft showed a lot of promise as a rookie once he was moved into the starting lineup in the second half of the season.
He played in 67 games, starting 31 of them, averaging 9.1 points, 8.9 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 0.9 blocks in 24.9 minutes per game. As a starter, he averaged a double-double with nearly one block per game.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Jalen Duren, Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons Updates
To start the 2023-24 season, Duren picked up right where he left off. The Pistons took on the Miami Heat, which meant a matchup against Bam Adebayo for Duren, who is arguably the best defensive center in the NBA. It didn’t matter as Duren put together a historic performance.
He finished the game with 17 points, 14 rebounds, four assists and four block in 32 minutes. According to Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report, that makes him the youngest player in NBA history to reach those plateaus in a game. Duren is still 19 years old, as he doesn’t turn 20 until November 18th.
That was a truly special outing for Duren, one that he will forever be remembered for. Doing it against a team as good as the Heat makes it all the more impressive. The Pistons didn’t win the game, losing 103-102, but there is certainly something brewing in the Motor City for fans to get excited about.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Jalen Duren, Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons Updates
Along with Duren, the Pistons received an excellent performance from Cade Cunningham. The No. 1 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft has battled injuries in his NBA career, but when on the court, he is a true difference maker. He scored 30 points with nine assists and three rebounds as he got whatever he wanted offensively against a stout Heat defense.
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