Cade Cunningham's injury caused fans of the Detroit Pistons to panic, even for just a little bit, as his collapsed lung came at such an inopportune time. But even with Cunningham on the mend, the Pistons have remained a fierce team to face. They have leaned into their bruising and physically imposing brand of basketball, with Jalen Duren being at the heart of their efforts.
The Pistons have now won six of their past eight games (all without Cunningham), as Detroit handled their business against the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday night, 127-116. Duren was the star of the show for the Pistons once more, recording 31 points and nine rebounds while missing just one of his 13 field-goal attempts on the night.
In so doing, Duren joined a very exclusive club of players who've recorded at least 30 points and nine rebounds while missing just one field-goal attempt in a single game multiple times in a single season. As per OptaSTATS on X (formerly Twitter), the Pistons star joined Charles Barkley (1988-89 season) and Dwight Howard (2006-07 season) as the only players to accomplish the feat.
Duren has become one of the best big men in the NBA, and he's doing everything in his power to keep the Pistons' status as a powerhouse despite Cunningham's absence.
Pistons hold it down despite Cade Cunningham's absence
The Pistons have managed to hold steady even with Cunningham's absence. Their only two losses since Cunningham suffered a collapsed lung came at the hands of the Atlanta Hawks (one of the hottest teams in the league since the All-Star break) and the Oklahoma City Thunder (reigning champion).
Even their loss against the Thunder was admirable; during that game, the Pistons were missing Duren and Tobias Harris, among others, and still pushed OKC to overtime.
With Cunningham out, many have been quick to name the Pistons a potential playoff pretender. But Duren is showing that that may not be the case.
