Jalen Duren was essentially a non-factor in Game 1 of the Detroit Pistons' 2026 playoff run. He finished the day with just 8 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 turnovers. Obviously not ideal for a potential All-NBA player.
On the list of things to be concerned about in this series (and there is a list), Duren's disappearance ranks relatively high. Not because Duren was terrible or that he's a fraud or any of the things you're probably reading online right now — that's all very silly.
Instead, it's concerning because he was virtually invisible all game long — the Magic clearly gameplanned to take away the Pistons' pick-and-roll and any inside presence, and it worked. If Duren just happened to miss shots in this game, the cause for concern would be too high. But that's not what happened; the Magic eliminated him from the gameplan, and you have to assume they will try the exact same thing the rest of the series.
For Duren, whose offense comes mostly from dump-offs, P&R, and dunks, this may be tough to overcome.
Jalen Duren might be neutralized by Magic size and strength
After the game, head coach JB Bickerstaff commended the Magic for their strategy to stop Duren:
"They packed the paint, they're going to put a bunch of bodies in the paint to try to make it difficult on him. Our pick-and-roll game, making sure we're executing properly to create space for him. It was a good opportunity for us to see, and then we'll go prepare for the next one."
That's the right thing to say, but I am curious how exactly to prepare for the next one. Orlando's big guys are legitimately big; Paolo Banchero, Wendell Carter, Goga Bitazde, even Franz Wagner are all very sturdy, making it hard to overpower them on P&R's. The plan to body up opponents has worked for the Pistons all season long, but won't be so easy against an extremely strong Magic squad.
Jalen Duren is going to score more points as the series progresses. That I say with confidence. But for a player of his archetype, who is never going to take the ball and create offense on his own, so much of his success hinges on how opposing teams plan to stop him. Unfortunately, on Sunday, the Magic planned well.
Duren is as good as Pistons fans think he is. But whether he can show that off this series now depends on JB Bickerstaff changing the strategy up.
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