After a spectacular regular season, Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren is having a tough time in the 2026 NBA Playoffs.
There was an assumption that the Orlando Magic in the first round were just simply a bad matchup for the veteran center. However, the Cleveland Cavaliers are giving the first-time All-Star the same issues.
During Wednesday night’s critical Game 5 battle between the Pistons and the Cavs, Duren was benched in crunch time. He didn’t play in the fourth quarter and missed the entire overtime period.
Jalen Duren Has To Be Better
The standout center isn’t turning a blind eye to his struggles.
As frustrating as the situation is, at the very least, Duren is taking accountability for his struggles.
“Absolutely, I feel like I could be better in all aspects of the game,” Duren told reporters on Wednesday night. “Continue to grind and continue to grow.”
As far as his benching goes, Duren took the high road with his reaction.
“My brothers handled it,” Duren said, downplaying the idea that he could be frustrated over JB Bickerstaff’s decision. “Bball (Paul Reed) came in ready to go. Did his thing. As long as we get the win, I’m good. Obviously, didn’t come out winning today, but as I said, we got to regroup, come back, and bring it back to Detroit.”
Duren checked in for a postseason-low 25 minutes on Wednesday. He went 3-5 from the field and 3-4 from the free throw line to score nine points. The veteran center also produced four assists, while coming down with five rebounds.
“I just thought that P-Reed gives us that spark,” Pistons coach JB Bickerstaff told reporters after the game. “He’s always ready for when the moment calls for it. Through that point, I thought we had done a pretty good job. They made their run, and P-Reed is a run-stopper for us. Him as a weapon—it’s good for this team.”
The Pistons lost 117-113, falling to 2-3 in the series. Duren has a good shot at starting Game 6, but his role and minutes will depend on his play early on.