Jalen Duren’s Career Night Powers Pistons Past Mavericks
Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren seized the moment against a depleted Dallas Mavericks frontcourt, scoring a career-high 33 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. His dominant performance helped Detroit secure a 122-110 victory Saturday night in Mexico City.
Key Performances
- Jalen Duren: 33 points, 11 rebounds
- Cade Cunningham: 21 points, 18 assists (tied career-high), 6 rebounds, 3 steals
- Tobias Harris: Significant contribution in scoring during the second quarter
“He became the first Piston with 20-plus points, 18-plus assists and three-plus steals since Isiah Thomas in 1986.”
Game Progression
The Pistons started strong offensively, shooting 7-of-10 early on and dominating inside the paint. Duren scored 17 points in the first half, leading Detroit to 72 points in the paint for the game. Despite this, Detroit trailed Dallas by just three points after the opening quarter, extending their streak of not leading after the first period through six games.
Dallas opened the second quarter with a burst, highlighted by D’Angelo Russell’s 8 quick points. However, Detroit found rhythm as Cunningham, Duren, and Harris combined for 22 points in the quarter to regain control.
Season Start Impact
The Pistons improved to 4-2 on the season, marking their best start since 2018, fueled by standout performances from Duren and Cunningham.
Author’s summary: Jalen Duren’s standout career night and Cade Cunningham’s versatile play helped the Pistons achieve their best season start since 2018 with a strong win over the Mavericks.