Jalen Duren has firmly vaulted himself into the conversation for Most Improved Player with his dominant showings during the Pistons winning streak. He bolstered his case even more with a 22-point, 22-rebound performance on Wednesday night in a win over the Jazz. Cade Cunningham has generated a lot of noise for the Clutch Player of the Year award with his fourth-quarter takeovers, but Duren is showing that he can also bring an award to Detroit.
Jalen Duren is taking a clear leap
Duren's season averages are now up to 18 points and 11 rebounds per game, up from 12 & 10 last season. The jump is eye-catching on the stat sheet, but it's even more obvious on the court. Duren has added to his game on both sides of the ball. It's led to more consistent scoring and helped the Pistons to the best paint defense in the NBA.
After a slow start, the Pistons offense is righting the ship and Duren is a major reason why. He's figuring out how to use his physical advantages to score over any defender down low. He's been a menace in pick-and-roll action and especially on the offensive glass. Duren is one of the league's top offensive rebounders and usually converts second chances immediately.
But Duren is also improving in more skilled offensive areas. He's shown improved decision-making in the short roll, leading to open shots for teammates. And he's even added some isolation scoring to his bag, whether it's beating a slow-footed center off the dribble or pulling up for the occasional midrange jumper. These additional wrinkles to Duren's offense have helped him coexist with Isaiah Stewart, which gives the Pistons another lineup option for special matchups.
Defensively, Duren has also made strides. He's averaging a career-high in blocks per game and is doing a better job of contesting every shot at the rim. The Pistons are currently leading the league in field goal percentage allowed at the rim, and it wouldn't be possible without Duren's improvements. His next leap will be protecting the paint without fouling, but his defensive aggression has paid off so far.
Jalen Duren is putting together a great case for Most Improved Player. His counting stats have jumped up tremendously, and his highlight reel is sure to wow voters. He's also emerging as the potential second star on the Pistons, which will have important playoff implications. In recent years, the MIP award has frequently gone to solid players who make the jump to stardom rather than bad player who become solid. Duren is certainly in the former category, but he still has the wow factor of a big scoring jump to impress voters of either philosophy.