The Pistons got another dud performance from Jalen Duren in Game 3, but they once again saw that a perfect substitution is waiting on the bench: Paul Reed. Detroit's depth has been an advantage all season long, and Reed has done well to make sure that carries over into the playoffs when Duren struggles. In Game 3, the Pistons were outscored by 14 in Duren's 29 minutes, but won Reed's 10 minutes by 11 points.
Reed needs to take some of Duren's minutes
Throughout the playoffs, Reed has been a positive for the Pistons whenever he has touched the floor. He's been solid on both ends, especially on defense where his timing and toughness stand out. Unfortunately, minutes have been hard for Reed to find regularly in the playoffs.
Even when Reed clearly outperforms Duren, he's usually on the bench to close out games in their most crucial moments. This was the case in Game 3, when Reed helped the Pistons claw back from a 17-point hole only to see Duren take his spot in the final 4 minutes of the game. If Detroit wants to advance to the conference finals, they may need to be smarter in gauging momentum when it comes to their center rotation.
Duren has seemed fazed at times in the playoffs by opposing defenses focusing on him and forcing errors, but Reed provides a nice security blanket with his veteran poise and relatively unscouted game. He can be a nice change of pace from Duren who other teams aren't prepared to face. Reed's unique skillset has often given the Pistons an unexpected boost, whether it's his ball handling and shooting on offense or excellent rim protection on defense.
Duren needs to take a page out of Reed's book
An important element of Reed's success is his unrelenting effort on both ends. Regardless of the game's outcome, Reed always fights hard and plays well within the flow of the team. His unselfish nature helps unlock easier looks for shooters and efficient team offense.
When Duren has played with the same mentality, he has still made a winning impact for the Pistons in the playoffs even if he isn't putting up his All-Star numbers from the regular season. But when Duren isn't bringing enough physicality or tries to do too much offensively, he's made costly mistakes. In Game 3, Duren had 3 big turnovers and only managed 4 minutes in his extended minutes.
If Duren has another game with the same level of effort and production, the Pistons must use their secret weapon to solve their center issue. By giving Paul Reed more minutes, they can get solid production no matter how others are playing.