Jalen Duren
Getty
Detroit Pistons' Jalen Duren during a game against the Indiana Pacers in January 2025
The Detroit Pistons are beginning to struggle.
On Sunday, March 8, Jalen Duren and the Pistons paid a visit to the Miami Heat in Florida, and were in a good position to bounce back. The Pistons landed their star guard Cade Cunningham back in the lineup after he got the night off againat the Brooklyn Nets.
Unfortunately, the presence of Cunningham didn’t change the results. The Pistons struggled, and the Heat took advantage. As a result, Detroit collected a 121-110 loss. It marked the fourth loss in a row for the first-seeded squad.
Following the game, Jalen Duren shared his thoughts on Detroit’s struggles.
Jalen Duren Bluntly Addresses The Pistons’ Struggles
Jalen Duren, Pistons
GettyJalen Duren addressed the Detroit Pistons’ recent struggles after a loss against the Miami Heat.
“I just think that we were not locked in,” Duren told reporters after the game. “Including myself. We just have to be better and get back to how we were defending early in the season. [We need] to get back to being that top-three defense.”
The Pistons went into the NBA All-Star break on a high note. Despite the antics that took place during the February 9 matchup against the Charlotte Hornets, which contributed to key absences going forward, Detroit fired off a win before the break and came out with another to extend a five-game winning streak.
Even after losing to the San Antonio Spurs on February 23, the Pistons bounced back with three more wins in a row. But since March 3, it’s all gone downhill.
On the road in Cleveland, the Pistons dropped the ball against a shorthanded Cavaliers team. They took on a 113-109 loss. When the Pistons paid a visit to the San Antonio Spurs two nights later, they found themselves on the losing side once again. It was a lopsided loss with a final score of 121-106.
The Brooklyn Nets were the ideal opponents for the Pistons amid a two-game losing streak. Being one of the NBA’s rebuilding squads, Brooklyn hasn’t been all that competitive. Despite being shorthanded, on paper, the Pistons were the better team. Still, the Nets formed an impressive comeback and took down the Pistons with a 107-105 score.
What’s Next For Detroit?
The loss in Miami marked the fourth in a row for the Pistons. They now hold the third-longest losing streak in the East, only behind the Washington Wizards (14th place) and the Indiana Pacers (15th place).
On Tuesday, March 10, the Pistons will get another round with the Nets. In Duren’s eyes, bouncing back on the defensive side is a must. The matchup serves as a good opportunity for the Pistons to get back on the ball as their top-seed lead is getting threatened by the Boston Celtics. After a win on Sunday, the Celtics are under three games behind the Pistons for first place. They don’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon.
The Pistons and the Nets are scheduled for a 7:30 PM ET tip on Tuesday.