Jalen Duren
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Jalen Duren of the Detroit Pistons is having a breakout season.
The Detroit Pistons have been without Jalen Duren in their last four games due to a sprained right ankle. The Pistons announced huge news regarding Duren’s availability for their upcoming matchup with the Phoenix Suns on Thursday.
Duren suffered the injury on January 1 against the Miami Heat. He was initially ruled out for a week, as reported by ESPN.
However, it’s been two weeks since the sprained ankle occurred. The Pistons are lucky to have a very light schedule in the second week of January. They have four days of rest between their last game against the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday and their next one versus the Suns.
The Pistons are in the middle of a six-game homestand that began on January 5, welcoming the New York Knicks to the Little Caesars Arena with a blowout win. They also beat the Chicago Bulls with ease but lost to the Clippers.
Duren’s Injury Status Against Suns
According to the Detroit Pistons’ official injury report, Jalen Duren is listed as probable against the Phoenix Suns.
Duren was part of the team’s practice on Wednesday, so there’s a huge chance that he’ll get upgraded to available and get cleared to play before tip-off. He’s been having a breakout campaign for Detroit and is one of the reasons they are atop the East standings at 28-10.
The 22-year-old big man is averaging 17.9 points, 10.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game this season. CBS Sports reported that Duren could be under a minutes restriction, which is a cautious approach made by teams for their players.
Another piece of good news for the Pistons is that Cade Cunningham is no longer on their injury report. Cunningham has missed the past two games due to a wrist injury, but he has been cleared to make his return in a much-anticipated matchup against Devin Booker.
Pistons Are Special, Says Duren
Nobody predicted that the Detroit Pistons would be this good, just less than two years after winning 14 games during the 2023-24 NBA season. Jalen Duren is a big part of their success as a member of The Dawg Pound, along with Isaiah Stewart, Ausar Thompson and Ron Holland II.
Speaking to SLAM Magazine, Duren explained why this Pistons team is very special as they enter the second half of the campaign.
“The guys that come in this gym and lace up their sneaks and get on the floor all believe in the same goal. We all believe in the same mission, and that’s what gives me the confidence, like, ‘OK, we’ve got something special.’ Because I feel like everybody, 1 through 15, every coach, every front office member, everybody that puts on the jersey, everybody that puts on the uniform, everybody that represents the Pistons all have the same mindset and the same goals,” Duren said.
In addition to Duren’s breakout year, Cade Cunningham is having an MVP season, and coach J.B. Bickerstaff has instilled confidence in all of his players.
Cunningham is likely to be an All-Star starter, while Bickerstaff could be in charge of one of the four All-Star teams. Duren is also a prime candidate to be named as an All-Star reserve.