For Jalen Duren, the Pistons are like the nouveau riche
After making the first round of the 2025 playoffs and then clinching first place in the Eastern Conference, which they held for more than three months, the Pistons have added a new element to their resurgence: two All-Star players, with Cade Cunningham etc Jalen Duren. The former already participated in the all-star game last season, and this time he is accompanying him.
As for the pivot, it’s nothing because, we remind you, week after week, Michigan’s players won only 14 matches in less than two years, 2023/24. Now at the top, they haven’t forgotten that they’ve hit rock bottom during this terrible exercise.
“It’s like having money after we’re broke. We never want to be broke again. That’s really it. We know what rock bottom looks like and we never want to go back there.”, comments the All-Star. “We all have pride and we all want to be the best at what we do. Once you taste it, you never want to find it again.”
“The big change will be from 14 wins to lifting the title”
But the Pistons don’t just want to never experience misery again. Now that they are the new rich, they want to become the richest…
“We’re first, but we’re not going to throw a party because we’re first in the East or in the league. It wouldn’t make sense.”provides the pivot. “It’s great considering where we’ve come from, when you go back two years. Everyone will agree it’s a big change. But the big change will be going from 14 wins to lifting the title.”
As he waits to win the trophy that has eluded the franchise since 2004, Jalen Duren believes he and his teammates are simply at their best. The dreadful 2023/24 season, with a record 28 consecutive defeats, was nothing short of unlucky. This was already Cade Cunningham’s speech at the time, which has since been confirmed.
“When he said we weren’t as bad as our record indicated, I felt it. He shared my point of view. We weren’t as bad as the 2-28 record said because we had the right players, the right mindset, the right pieces. It just had to fall into place.” Jalen Duren remembers. “It’s hard to win in the NBA, to fight there. It took us time. We had the right coaching staff, the right leaders, the right players. And now it’s underway.”
| Jalen Duren | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saison | The team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | LF | Off | Def | That | Pd | Ft | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2022-23 | THE | 67 | 24:56 | 64.8 | 0.0 | 61.1 | 3.4 | 5.5 | 8.9 | 1.1 | 2.7 | 0.7 | 1.4 | 0.9 | 9.1 |
| 2023-24 | THE | 61 | 29:08 | 61.9 | 0.0 | 79.0 | 3.1 | 8.5 | 11.6 | 2.4 | 3.1 | 0.5 | 2.1 | 0.8 | 13.8 |
| 2024-25 | THE | 78 | 26:05 | 69.2 | 66.9 | 3.6 | 6.8 | 10.3 | 2.7 | 3.2 | 0.7 | 1.7 | 1.1 | 11.8 | |
| 2025-26 | THE | 44 | 27:41 | 63.1 | 73.7 | 3.7 | 6.7 | 10.4 | 1.8 | 2.8 | 0.9 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 17.7 | |
How to read statistics? MJ = matches played; Min = Minute; Shots = Shots Successful / Shots Attempted; 3 points = 3 points / attempt 3 points; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive jump; Tot = Total number of jumps; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal mistakes; Int = intercepts; Bp = lost balls; Ct: Against; Points = Points.
2026-02-17 11:32:00
