The Detroit Pistons got a big road win against the defending champion Golden State Warriors last night and finally got some good news on the injury front.
The Pistons have already lost Cade Cunningham for the season, and recently it was announced that Marvin Bagley III will be out 6-8 weeks after breaking a bone in his right hand.
Forward Isaiah Livers has also missed the last 17 games, not ideal for a team that is already thin at forward, especially when it comes to guys who can defend. Detroit could definitely use Livers, who appears to be getting close to returning.
Detroit Pistons news: Isaiah Livers’ injury update
Livers was reportedly going through some drills with training staff before the game as he tries to rehab what is being called a sprained shoulder.
Coach Casey said that he is making progress, though there is still no timetable for his return. The Detroit Pistons could certainly use him, especially after losing MBIII, as the Pistons used just a 9-man rotation last night that included Rodney McGruder.
Jalen Duren has perfect night against the Golden State Warriors
Since joining the starting lineup, Jalen Duren is smashing the ceiling of what he can be as a player. He’s been one of the best rebounders in the league as a starter, and is also becoming an efficient offensive player around the rim.
Duren was a perfect 8-of-8 from the floor last night on his way to 18 points and 11 rebounds, five of which were on the offensive end. He is now 7th in the league in dunks and after last night is shooting 63.4 percent from the field overall, which would be good for 7th in the league if he had the requisite attempts.
Duren can rack up points without needing a play run for him, which is the perfect complement to Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey. Duren just keeps getting better and looks like he is on his way to making the All-Rookie team, which would be the third year in a row that the Detroit Pistons had at least one player on the All-Rookie squad.
Killian Hayes back from suspension
Killian Hayes returned against the Warriors last night, fresh off a three-game suspension for punching Moritz Wagner. He had a rough night shooting, hitting just 3-of-12 shots, but that didn’t stop him from making an impact on the game.
Hayes played 35 minutes (most on the team) and dropped 13 assists without committing a single turnover. Hayes also hit a key 3-point shot with just over six minutes left in the game, so he didn’t make many but hit one when it counted.
I love that Hayes was able to play through his poor shooting night and make an impact, and having him back was a huge boost, as the Pistons have been terrible passing the ball this season (especially with Hayes out) but last night racked up 29 assists to just eight turnovers, one of their best performances of the season.