The Detroit Pistons are heading into the season as a team looking to make another leap. They were the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference last year, but they got bounced in the second round of the playoffs. Now, after a few small summer moves, they want more. And the combination of John Collins and Jalen Duren will be an interesting one to watch as they attempt to get more.
Detroit added Collins in free agency, and they managed to re-sign Duren in the dying moments of the summer. Now, the two are likely to share the frontcourt as the Pistons’ starters at the power forward and center spots. Collins recently spoke about how excited he is to play alongside another big like Duren.
It should be a very interesting combo, and the rebounding has a chance to be elite. And maybe that’s how the Pistons can maintain their place as one of the best teams in the league.
Jalen Duren and John Collins can make the Pistons' rebounding elite
Last year, the Pistons were one of the best rebounding teams in the NBA. They ranked eighth in the league in rebounding (45.6), but perhaps more impressively, they ranked third in offensive rebounding (13.1).
However, they weren’t the best defensive rebounding team. In fact, they were right in the middle. The Pistons ranked 14th in the NBA in defensive rebounding last season (32.5).
Duren was one of the better rebounding big men in the league last season, especially on the offensive end. Now, he’ll get the chance to play alongside another solid rebounder in Collins.
For the last few years of his career, Collins hasn’t been the best rebounder. But early on in his career, he was a double-double machine. That version of himself should seriously help the Pistons.
Being a good rebounding team is a sure-fire way to win games. It’s the only way you can close a defensive stop. It’s also a great way to get extra possessions on the offensive end.
The Pistons don’t have a ton of offensive creators. Outside of Cade Cunningham, there are a lot of question marks on the roster.
Rebounding could be one of the Pistons’ best ways of getting around that reality. They can create extra offensive chances with their offensive rebounding.
And their defensive rebounding can help them close out possessions, which would improve their overall defense, making up for some of their lack of offense.
Lineups with Duren and Collins could be great for Detroit next year.
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