Jalen Duren may be the happiest member of the Detroit Pistons after the team extended its playoff run following the Game 7 win over the Orlando Magic. The Pistons will continue the dance against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second round, giving Duren an excellent chance to redeem himself after a horrendous first-round performance.
If the Pistons flamed out early against the Magic, Duren would have been at the center of all criticism heading into the offseason. The 22-year-old center was outplayed by Wendell Carter Jr. all series and couldn't make his presence felt on either end of the floor. This likely would have cost him a ton of money in extension negotiations. He is eligible to receive a five-year, $239 million deal (even more if he makes an All-NBA team), but the Pistons may hesitate to offer him the max after seeing his impact reduced in the postseason.
Jalen Duren Has the Chance to Earn Back the Money He Cost Himself in the 1st Round
Duren can still change this narrative around him against the Cavs. He will be going up against a frontcourt featuring Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. This will present a challenge for Duren, but a stronger performance against two elite defensive bigs will make Duren a candidate for the max extension once again.
Winning the one-on-one battle against Mobley will certainly boost Duren and help the Pistons immensely. A perennial All-Defense candidate, Mobley is as versatile as they come, but is not as strong as Carter Jr., meaning Duren could have a chance to exert his will. Mobley and Allen have struggled rebounding in certain postseason matchups. Thanks to Duren's rebounding prowess, the Pistons can have an advantage in that area.
Another advantage Duren will have is that the Cavs are not as big and physical as the Magic are at other positions. Orlando was packing the paint with the likes of Jalen Suggs, Paolo Banchero, and Franz Wagner, making life difficult for Duren. With the Pistons struggling to spread the floor with shooters, Orlando's size caused all sorts of problems inside the paint. Plus, it allowed for help defenders like Suggs to dig in and force turnovers.
Instead, the Cavs have defensive liabilities like James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, and Sam Merrill in the rotation. These players can't make the helpside plays on defense that Orlando's perimeter guys could. They also don't have the size and physicality to really bother Duren. Cleveland will do everything it can to keep Harden or Mitchell from switching onto Duren, which could make things a little easier for the Pistons' offense.
It was certainly not the start to the playoffs Duren and the Pistons had in mind, but now that they have hit their stride, things could get easier for them in the second round.
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