Jalen Duren, appearing in his first All-Star season, added another standout moment to what has already been an impressive year on Friday, Hunter Patterson writes.
After Cade Cunningham fouled out late in the fourth quarter, Duren stepped up to lead Detroit’s comeback, helping the Pistons erase a nine-point deficit against the Cavaliers in less than three minutes.
He scored 15 of his 33 total points during the fourth quarter and overtime, powering Detroit to a three-point win while also contributing 16 rebounds and three blocks.
Even though he could only watch from the bench after fouling out, Cunningham was enthusiastic about Duren’s dominant performance and growth.
“It’s special, man,” Cunningham said. “It’s everything we talked about, everything we knew he was capable of. He’s put a lot of work in to be where he’s at.”
In the four games leading up to Sunday’s victory over the Magic, Duren had been on an impressive run, averaging 28.3 points and 14.5 rebounds while shooting 65.2 percent from the field.
The young center is also approaching an important offseason, as he is set to become a restricted free agent this summer.
James Harden didn't mull surgery for his fractured thumb: https://t.co/ZDSAEomXrS pic.twitter.com/iVdTr5GNOz
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) March 2, 2026
