The Detroit Pistons sit atop the Eastern Conference standings, but injuries to Jalen Duren, Ausar Thompson, and Isaiah Joe have put a cloud over the team’s strong start to the 2026-27 NBA regular season.
Ahead of the Pistons’ upcoming game against the New York Knicks, they’ll be without Duren, as he continues to deal with a hamstring injury. Key contributors Thompson and Joe are also listed as questionable on Detroit’s injury report, but the latest updates suggest both could play against the Knicks on Tuesday night.
Thompson is dealing with a right ankle sprain, and Joe is dealing with a right hip contusion, but the Pistons will need both against the defending champions to keep their unbeaten streak alive as they start the new season.
Pistons Get Positive Ausar Thompson And Isaiah Joe Injury Updates
According to a recent post made by Hunter Patterson of The Athletic, both Thompson and Joe were seen at the Pistons’ morning shootaround ahead of the matchup in New York.
“Pistons are finishing up here at MSG. Ausar Thompson and Isaiah Joe are both present,” he wrote in a post on X, accompanied by a video of the two players getting shots up hours before the game.
Thompson played in Detroit’s first two games of the year, but missed the last game with the ankle injury. Like he was for the Pistons’ Sunday game, Thompson is still questionable on the injury report. However, for that eventual win over the Philadelphia 76ers, he didn’t go through shootaround and didn’t end up playing.
It’s good news that he’s on the court working out before the game, and though he remains questionable for Tuesday night, it’s a positive injury update for the Pistons, as having their defensive ace will be key to grabbing a win against the Knicks.
As for Joe, who arrived in Detroit over the summer, he has yet to miss a game so far but remains questionable on the injury report with a hip contusion he picked up in the team’s win against the 76ers. His status for Tuesday remains uncertain, but like with Thompson, the fact he’s at shootaround is a positive sign for the Pistons, who are just one of many teams dealing with poor health luck to begin the season.
Detroit Dealing With Jalen Duren Injury
Though Thompson and Joe remain questionable, Detroit will be without Duren for the game in New York.
He sustained what is officially a hamstring injury in the team’s win over the Miami Heat, and did not return after heading to the locker room in the first half of the 17-point win.
“Jalen Duren just grabbed his right hamstring, and limping, went right to the locker room,” Marc Ryan wrote in a post on X in the moments after the star center suffered the injury. “Hoping it’s not what it appeared to be.”
Detroit later announced a Duren injury update:
“Pistons center Jalen Duren exited Friday night’s games in the second quarter with a right hamstring strain. He will be re-evaluated in two weeks.”
In the time since, Duren has remained on the Pistons’ injury report as ‘out’, and he’ll likely stay with that status for at least the next two weeks.
Duren signed a five-year, $200 million contract extension with Detroit late in the offseason after a messy restricted free agency saga, and many believe the hamstring injury was due to him not having a full summer of workouts, and the quick ramp-up time was partially what caused the unfortunate injury.
Regardless, the Pistons will be without Duren, but could see both Thompson and Joe playing on Tuesday night against the Knicks. The team will provide further injury updates as tip off time gets closer.
Detroit Pistons Get Positive Injury Update After Jalen Duren News For Knicks Game