The Detroit Pistons managed to come away with an improbable road win in Game 6. On the back of an incredible defensive performance in the second half and Orlando's epic collapse, the Pistons crawled back from a 24-point deficit and forced a Game 7 at home. While there were plenty of positive takeaways like Cade Cunningham's unstoppable individual scoring, Jalen Duren's lack of impact continues to stick out like a sore thumb.
Jalen Duren Continues to Be the Pistons' Weak Link
On Friday, the Pistons were once again intentional about getting Duren going early. In the first six minutes of the game, Duren went 3/3 from the field for six points. In the remaining 42 minutes, however, the 22-year-old center was nowhere to be seen. He finished the game 4/6 for eight points, nine rebounds, an assist, and two turnovers. He once again got in foul trouble later in the game, finishing with five personal fouls and playing only 32 minutes.
Duren has had at least five personal fouls in the last four games of the series. He hasn't played over 32 minutes in any of these games. So many of his fouls have been of the frustrating kind, including biting on Wendell Carter Jr.'s pump fake from three at least once a game.
So far, Duren hasn't scored over 12 points or grabbed double-digit rebounds in any game in the series. He has five more turnovers than assists. After making 65% of his shots in the regular season, he is down to 52.3% in the playoffs. As a result, the Pistons have been better when Duren is off the court as a whole. While they are losing Duren's minutes by five in the series, they have won the minutes he has been on the bench by 16 points.
The Magic are an exceptionally difficult matchup for the Pistons. They have size and physicality to match Detroit, and because of the Pistons' inability to shoot, the Magic can pack the paint. This makes Duren's life hard in the paint.
But this is the playoffs. How star players differentiate themselves from non-stars is their ability to adjust and find ways to be effective. So far, it seems like Duren has lost his matchup against Carter and hasn't come close to solving the puzzle Orlando has been throwing his way.
Even if Duren is able to turn things around in the next round, his inability to dominate Carter Jr. for the entire series will be remembered for a long time. It should also be on the mind of the Pistons' top brass when they are negotiating Duren's next contract this offseason. It's important to celebrate Duren's progress this season as he has taken a big step forward, but his inability to have a single good game in the playoffs should not be forgotten come summer.
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