This season has been one that the Detroit Pistons and their fanbase will look back on as a pivotal step in their emergence in the Eastern Conference.
The MVP-caliber play of Cade Cunningham will obviously be the most talked-about story for Detroit throughout this dominant regular season run, but a close-second for the biggest development in the Motor City has been the breakthrough season for big man Jalen Duren.
Posting a career-year, averaging 19.5 points and 10.6 rebounds on 64.5% from field goal range, the 22-year-old has solidified himself as not only a cornerstone piece for Detroit, but one of the best frontcourt players in the league, highlighting a forgotten skillset that makes him so special.
Still, the biggest gripe about Duren's role on the Pistons is the doubt that he could be an adequate No. 2 option on a championship roster alongside Cunningham moving forward.
After the team's recent adversity struck, the Memphis product's response hasn't just silenced the noise but proven that evaluators may have been dead wrong.
Jalen Duren has proven he can be a reliable No. 2
With Cunningham sidelined over the last few weeks due to a collapsed lung, Duren has found himself in a position to take over the offensive load his running mate left behind.
To say he's just answered the call wouldn't be giving him the credit he deserves.
Duren has played otherwordly as of late, averaging 23.8 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 3.1 assists over the last 10 games, 9 of which Cunningham has missed completely.
The center has been relied on by head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, and with the team looking to get him the ball from the opening tip-off, Duren has proven to be a steady force that the team can rely on.
Duren has answered the call and shown that he's capable of being the No. 2 scoring option that can get the Pistons to the next level.
With the postseason looming, there's absolutely no reason he can't carry this play into the playoffs and beyond.
Duren is a walking mismatch Detroit needs to exploit
When the playoffs do come around, the big man should be used as the advantage in the frontcourt he truly is.
Using old-school fundamentals to dominate down low, Duren's physicality makes him an extremely hard player to defend, especially for opposing teams who don't have a physical big man of their own to throw at the breakout star.
Duren has proven that he can be the No. 2 scoring option Detroit needs to make a run, but he's also shown that he can be the player to elevate the Pistons to another level when he's given the opportunity to be aggressive.