Jalen Duren followed up his strong regular season with another tough playoff outing, scoring nine points in the Pistons’ overtime loss to the Cavaliers in Game 5.
The Detroit Pistons are now on the brink of elimination, failing to close it out as they absorbed a brutal 117-113 Game 5 overtime loss at home against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Detroit Pistons / Schedule
Jalen Duren finds himself under scrutiny again for not showing up when it mattered the most, and he himself acknowledges it.
“Absolutely," Duren told reporters if he felt he needed to be better from his disappointing Wednesday performance. "I feel like I could be better in all aspects of the game.
"Continue to grind and continue to grow.”
He is averaging 9.4 points in 46.2 percent shooting and 6.6 rebounds in this second round against the Cavs. And in the entire 2026 NBA Playoffs, he is just contributing 10.2 points per game.
These numbers are shockingly low out of his brilliant past regular season, where he clinched his first-career All-Star nod and anchored the Pistons as the top team in the East with a 60-win campaign.
In 70 games, he delivered a strong career-high 19.5 points in 65 percent shooting with 10.5 rebounds.
The Pistons can't be more desperate to see Duren back to his old form, as they head back to Cleveland down 2-3 against the Cavaliers.
Game 6 between the Pistons and the Cavs is set on Friday, as another loss would mean automatic end to their season.
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