Just as the postseason began, Jalen Duren’s strong form completely vanished. After a rough series against the Magic, he has hit a provisional low against Cleveland, likely with severe consequences.
Game 5 between the Pistons and Cavs was the biggest game to date in which Duren was expected to play a significant role. Detroit, after two home wins, had lost both away games in Cleveland. Another home victory in the fifth match would have left them just one win away from their first Conference Finals appearance since the 2007/2008 season.
However, as the game reached its crucial phase, Duren was notably absent from the court. He spent the entire fourth quarter on the bench, as well as the entirety of the overtime period. The MIP candidate, and presumed co-star to Cade Cunningham, had seemingly lost the trust of Coach J.B. Bickerstaff in the close defeat. Instead, the head coach opted to play Paul Reed, the 58th pick in the 2020 Draft, who had not seen a single second of game time until that point.
This decision, while perhaps surprising to some, had been brewing for weeks.
Duren’s All-Star Season and Leading the Pistons
Duren’s season leading up to the playoffs was a resounding success. The previous year, he was instrumental in the Pistons’ turnaround, securing their first postseason appearance in six years. In the 2025/2026 season, he elevated his game even further.
The 22-year-old saw his scoring average jump from 11.8 to 19.5 points per game, and he consistently recorded a double-double with an average of 10.5 rebounds. The center became the undisputed co-star alongside point guard Cunningham. As a reward for his performance, he earned his first All-Star selection midway through the season.
When Cunningham was sidelined late in the season due to a collapsed lung, Duren stepped up as the primary offensive option, ensuring the Pistons entered the playoffs as the top seed in the Eastern Conference. This postseason was meant to be his grand stage.
He is set to become a restricted free agent in the summer. If he is selected to an All-NBA team, he could potentially earn up to $287 million over the next five years. While insiders have suggested Detroit might not be willing to offer the full max, Brett Siegel of Clutch Points recently emphasized that league sources anticipated Duren receiving a contract around $200 million due to his All-NBA caliber season.
MIP Candidate Duren Experiences a Notable Lowlight Against the Magic
With every subsequent appearance, Duren appears to be losing potential earnings. A symbolic moment occurred in Game 4 of the series against the Magic, when Jamal Cain, filling in for Franz Wagner, posterized Duren with a powerful dunk. Duren had no chance to contest the play, stumbled backward, and ended up on the floor. The typically critical NBA internet community was quick to react, imagining him seeing dollar bills flying away with a blank stare.
This was the first of many playoff lowlights this year. Last season, Duren also struggled in the first-round exit against the New York Knicks, scoring in double figures in only three of six games and grabbing double-digit rebounds in just three of six contests. However, this season offered renewed hope for improvement. After all, Duren was among the three finalists for the Most Improved Player award, having shown significant growth.
His playoff performance, however, has not matched his regular season surge. In the surprising opening loss to the Magic, he took only four shots. It wasn’t until the decisive Game 7 of the series that Duren finally recorded a double-double, with 15 points, which was his highest scoring output in the series. This is particularly striking for a player who averaged 19.2 points in the regular season.
No Wemby, No Towns: Duren’s Struggles are ‘Old School’
Publicly, Duren never doubted himself or his team during the Magic series. Despite his team falling behind 1-3, being outplayed by Wendell Carter Jr., and being humiliated by Cain, he declared, «This shit ain’t over!»
Indeed, the Pistons managed to come back and win the series, with Duren’s performance gradually improving. He carried this momentum into the series against the Cavs, taking more than 10 shots for the first time in Game 1. The result was a double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds, though these remain his season highs in the playoffs.
His weaknesses are exposed in every playoff game, sometimes subtly, sometimes glaringly. Unlike many modern centers like Victor Wembanyama or Karl-Anthony Towns, who are having successful playoff runs with the Spurs and Knicks respectively, Duren does not operate as a stretch big. His natural game remains rooted in the old-school style, operating close to the basket. He provides little spacing or shooting. His shots are taken near the rim, ideally after a pick-and-roll with Cunningham.
However, Cunningham struggled against the Magic’s aggressive defense and double-teams, frequently turning the ball over. When he did manage to drive to the basket, Duren was often difficult to find due to a crowded paint. The Pistons, who also start another non-shooter in Ausar Thompson alongside Duren, take the second-fewest three-pointers among all playoff teams, averaging 28.6 attempts per game. In comparison, the Cavs, their current opponent, attempt nearly ten more (37.6).
‘Two More Than from a Dead Man’: Duren’s Rebounding Raises Questions
This issue is not new and persisted throughout the regular season, with the Pistons ranking second to last in this statistic. However, while a crowded paint might not have always indicated full defensive commitment during the regular season, the playoffs are a different story.
Where the Pistons could previously win games simply through effort, other teams have now matched that intensity. Situations that Duren could easily dunk on a few weeks ago are now challenging layups. He either avoids them or misses them. Less than half of his shots are falling in the playoffs, a stark contrast to the 65 percent he shot during the regular season.
But it’s not just his scoring that has disappeared. The Cavaliers have also begun to focus primarily on Cunningham in the pick-and-roll, which was once a formidable weapon for Duren. When Duren does manage to catch the ball, he often appears overwhelmed by the decision-making process, overthinking his options. His lack of confidence is evident, and this extends to his defense as well.
Due to better and more intense preparation, as well as simply increased physicality, Duren’s rebounding has also been largely limited. In Game 4 against the Cavs, the 6’10» big man grabbed a meager 2 rebounds. NBA legend Charles Barkley sharply analyzed, «Listen, on the rebounding, he should never have two rebounds! That’s two more than from a dead man. Come on, man. You can never have two rebounds!»
Duren Has Reportedly ‘Lost Over $50 Million’ in These Playoffs Alone
A significant resurgence in Game 5 did not materialize. He finished with 5 rebounds and 9 points, but only played 25 minutes. During his time on the court, the Pistons were outscored by -16. Without him, they outscored their opponents by +14. The game ended in a 113:117 overtime loss. While plus-minus statistics don’t always tell the whole story, his on-court minutes in previous losses were a concerning -26. With backup Reed on the floor, the Pistons have a +8 differential.
Coach Bickerstaff had heard the calls for more minutes for Reed and Isaiah Stewart. However, before the recent game, he reiterated his intention to give Duren another chance «to show the things we know he can do.» He emphasized that «you don’t just give up on guys because they’re having a bad stretch.»
However, heading into Game 6, the 47-year-old coach will have to carefully consider whether to continue playing the role of empathetic therapist or make a tough decision to maximize his team’s chances of winning. In Game 5, he made his preference clear in the crucial closing moments.
Duren himself, after being relegated to the bench, demonstrated a team-first attitude: «I felt like I could have played better in all aspects. My brothers handled the end well.»
Perhaps this is truly the better path for him right now. Insider Siegel concisely put it: «He’s probably lost over $50 million in these playoffs alone.» And with every subsequent disappointing performance, the check he receives in the summer may be even smaller.
NBA: Jalen Duren’s Regular Season and Playoff Statistics
| GP | MIN | PTS | FG% | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular Season | 70 | 28.2 | 19.2 | 65.0% | 10.5 | 2.0 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 1.9 |
| Postseason | 11 | 31.3 | 10.2 | 49.4% | 8.5 | 2.1 | 0.6 | 1.1 | 2.6 |