The Pistons finally made a move that fans have been dying to see when they benched Jalen Duren in the crucial stretches of Game 5 against the Cavaliers. Detroit opted to go with Paul Reed instead, who outperformed Duren on both ends. After 12 playoff games, it’s become obvious that Duren’s role needs to diminish for the Pistons to put their best lineups on the court.
Jalen Duren has been abominable in the playoffs
At this point, it’s no surprise to see another disappointing performance from Duren. He played heavy minutes in the first three quarters of Game 5, logging 9 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists in 25 minutes through that span. The counting stats were pedestrian, but logging a -16 in his minutes really sealed his fate down the stretch.
Unfortunately, this was a game where the Pistons could have really used the Duren they came to value in the regular season. Cade Cunningham did a great job of feeding his teammates with advantages in the fourth quarter, but they weren’t able to capitalize. In the regular season, Duren was great in those situations but he’s been such a playoff liability that he wasn’t even on the court for them in Game 5.
The Pistons were forced to make several key rotation changes and they chose to have Duren sit for the entire fourth quarter and overtime in favor of Reed. It paid off too; Reed logged 10 points, 8 rebounds and 2 blocks in his 17 minutes of action.
Reed’s activity and physicality stood out, including multiple efforts to secure second chances for the Pistons. Immediately after checking in, he helped the Pistons go on a 10-point run to regain the lead following a disastrous third quarter (where Duren played 9 minutes). By simply fighting for possessions and finishing at the rim, Reed provided a much better impact than Duren.
Paul Reed needs to continue getting minutes
Throughout the playoffs, Reed has found it hard to get consistent minutes despite playing very well. This pattern cannot continue in Game 6 as the Pistons face elimination on the road. Detroit cannot afford to keep Reed on the bench until they are nearly down double digits in a pivotal stretch.
Instead, Reed should see early minutes either as a quick substitute or even the starting center spot. Duren has not performed nearly well enough throughout the playoffs and this series to cement his status as a starter. In fact, the Pistons have consistently been better with either Reed or Isaiah Stewart playing center over Duren.
In Game 6, the Pistons need to roll with the center that gives them the best chance at winning. And if that’s Paul Reed again, Jalen Duren needs to get comfortable with the bench.
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