3 X-factors that could make the Pistons better than expected

X-Factor #2: Jalen Duren 

Jalen Duren is entering his third season and, in many ways, the 20-year-old is ahead of schedule. 

He’s already a force in the pick-and-roll as a lob threat, averaged 2.4 assists per game last season, 14 points and over 11 rebounds, numbers you’d take out of any 20-year-old. 

Duren needs to improve defensively, but the good news is that he knows that and it will be the focus of the offseason for him. There is plenty of evidence of young centers making big leaps defensively and I expect Duren to do the same. 

He has to. 

Dunks and rebounds are great, but they are also easy to find from big men around the league. To be the center of the future, Duren has to be a defensive anchor, it’s that simple. 

Bam Adebayo is a player who Duren should use as a model, as he is an athletic big who can defend away from the rim while also protecting the paint. Adebayo didn’t make the All-Defensive team until his third season when he was two years older than Duren is now, so we shouldn’t expect Duren to go from below average to All-Defense just yet. 

But he does have to improve, and if he does, the Pistons could make the type of leap defensively that will help them to a surprising number of wins.