Jalen Duren made his preseason debut tonight after missing the Pistons' first two preseason games. After his absences with hamstring soreness last week, some fans were preparing to weather the storm of his injury absence. But he has quickly proven that this won't be necessary and he will be perfectly ready to start the regular season.
Jalen Duren had an emphatic first half of basketball
Duren has already looked great to start the game. He has a quick 8 points and 5 rebounds at halftime. And he's looked like one of the Pistons' best players on the court. His scoring has come in a lot of different ways, which will be exciting for the Pistons offense.
Just two minutes into the game, Duren flashed his offensive development with a dribble drive to the paint and a turnaround fadeaway over Jarrett Allen. This will be a great backup option when teams load up against Cade Cunningham and other Pistons ball handlers. Having Duren as another capable dribbler who can make plays for himself and others will give the Pistons even more options.
Duren showed more new skills in the second quarter when he grabbed a defensive rebound and took off with the ball to halfcourt before finding Bobi Klintman for an easy dunk. It's no secret that the Pistons want to push the ball in transition this season. If Duren can move the ball up the court himself without waiting to find a guard, he will be even more valuable for the Pistons.
Of course, one of Jalen Duren's biggest strengths is his play finishing. He's already shown the next step in that skill by sealing Larry Nance Jr for an easy layup. Duren is incredibly strong and now learning to fully leverage his physical gifts for easy baskets. And he also got one signature alley-oop layup where he showed off his verticality.
We can't forget that Duren is doing all of this without Cade Cunningham. Cade is sitting out this game after two dominant performances in previous preseason games, but Duren has still been able to find his own scoring opportunities. Last season, Cade and Duren were one of the league's top pick-and-roll duos, so their reunion will only make Duren look even better when the regular season rolls around.
Jalen Duren is entering the biggest season of his NBA career, and still remains without a contract extension. This season will make or break his next contract, but he looks ready to handle that challenge. After missing the first two games of the preseason, he's kicked off his campaign in midseason form.