Jalen Duren delivered his most complete performance of the series when it mattered most, leading the defensive effort in the Detroit Pistons’ 116-94 Game 7 win over the Orlando Magic.
The All-Star center finished with 15 points and 15 rebounds, but his postgame comments made clear that scoring was never his primary focus.
“Yeah, I mean just trying to stay with it,” Duren said. “I think obviously started off real rough trying to just figure out my spots, figure out where I could be effective at.”
Detroit needed interior stability after Duren was outplayed in earlier games, and the big man adjusted through film study and role acceptance.
“As the series went on, watching film, just understanding that every series, every game is going to bring a different challenge,” he said. “If I’m struggling to put the ball in the hole, my whole thing was like, let me just be effective on defense.”
That approach showed in Game 7, where Orlando managed just 94 points on 41% shooting and failed to generate consistent second-chance opportunities.
“Let me attack the boards. Let me try to keep them off the boards. Let me try to protect the paint, protect the rim as best as I can,” Duren said. “Set good screens, just be effective in different ways.”
Detroit outrebounded Orlando 41-33 and controlled the paint, limiting the Magic to one-dimensional offense behind Paolo Banchero’s 38 points.
“Scoring has never been the main part of my game,” Duren said. “It’s something that I’ve added over the last couple years, but I feel like it was just key for me to just stay with it.”
The Pistons became the 15th team in NBA history to erase a 3-1 deficit, and Duren pointed to the group’s mindset as a defining factor.
“I mean, one, I know who I am. I know who the team is,” he said. “Outside noise is whatever it is. Y’all going to do what y’all supposed to do as the media and create narratives.”
Detroit’s locker room maintained belief despite the deficit, especially after a 24-point comeback in Game 6.
“In our locker room, we know who we are,” Duren said. “We really feel like we’re some dogs. We feel like our back against the wall. The whole world counts us out. Okay, now it’s time to go.”
“I never doubted anything. I never doubted the guys that I was going to war with. I never doubted the coaches. Never.”
Duren also highlighted Tobias Harris’ impact, as the veteran forward scored 30 points and stabilized the offense alongside Cade Cunningham’s 32-point, 12-assist performance.
“Ultimate vet,” Duren said. “He’s been in these type of games. He got a lot of playoff experience.”
“He’s a guy we can go to when we need a bucket. He’s just the ultimate vet.”
Defensively, Duren embraced his role as the anchor in Detroit’s scheme, particularly in pick-and-roll coverage and rim protection.
“I look at it like it’s my job to protect the paint,” he said. “It’s my job to be that defensive anchor no matter what the circumstances.”
“I just took my job serious, man. And I wasn’t ready to go on vacation.”
With the second round set to begin, Detroit advances with a defensive identity reinforced by its center’s Game 7 response.
