JB Bickerstaff continues to roll out Jalen Duren as the Detroit Pistons’ primary center against the Orlando Magic, even though Duren has been a disaster this postseason. It’s time for Duren to hit the pine a bit more often, and at this point, the problem is (almost) Bickerstaff’s fault as much as Duren’s.
Isaiah Stewart had eight blocks in Game 4 against the Magic, and he only played 17:15. Meanwhile, Duren only managed to put up 12 points, eight rebounds, three assists, and one block. He played 30:45. He’s not giving the Pistons nearly enough, yet Bickerstaff keeps giving him the bulk of the center minutes.
It’s a disaster in Detroit right now.
JB Bickerstaff may need to play Jalen Duren fewer minutes
Duren’s postseason run may be the most disappointing of any All-Star in the playoffs right now. The Pistons desperately need him to produce at a high level if they want to win, and he’s not doing that.
As a result, Duren’s performance thus far -- among other issues -- had led to the first-seeded Pistons being down 3-1 to the eighth-seeded Magic, who lost their first Play-In Tournament game.
In the regular season, Duren was dominant. He gave the Pistons consistent buckets, and that was a huge part of the reason why he was so effective alongside Cade Cunningham.
But if Duren isn’t going to score consistently for the Pistons, perhaps it’s time for Bickerstaff to test out some different lineups that either add more scoring next to Duren or take him off the floor more regularly.
More Stewart at the five minutes could work. Maybe some small-ball lineups that keep both Stewart and Duren off the court and focus on scoring the ball more effectively.
It’s not like the Magic are scoring 120 points a night. They’re barely reaching the 100-point mark. The Pistons just need to score the ball, and the unfortunate reality is that Duren just isn’t doing that.
Duren’s poor performances have been on him. But he’s not the head coach. It’s up to Bickerstaff to make the right lineup choices. The decisions that give the Pistons the best chance to win.
Right now, the best option may be to stray away from Duren, at least a little bit. But Bickerstaff hasn’t done that nearly enough so far.
The Pistons are battling for their playoff lives, and Bickerstaff needs to figure out lineups that will put points on the board. That could mean playing Duren less.
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