The Detroit Pistons are going head-to-head against the Memphis Grizzlies. Outscoring the Grizzlies 57-44, Cade Cunningham and Co. dominated them in the 1st half. However, the Pistons suffered a devastating blow early on that could affect their performance in the 2nd half. Center, Jalen Duren suffered an injury just 5 minutes into the game, after accidentally colliding with Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson Jr.!

While JJJ was driving to the basket, his head collided with Jalen Duren’s face. The replay showed the 20-year-old’s tooth flying out of his mouth and onto the court due to the nasty collision. Duren was in immense pain and headed straight to the locker room. However, a further unfortunate update came up after a few minutes.

Reports suggested that Jalen Duren would not return for the rest of the game because of the injury inside his mouth. The Pistons Center played only 5 minutes and went scoreless before leaving the game. The severity of Duren’s injury is unknown, and it is still uncertain when he will return to the lineup. Considering Duren lost his tooth in the collision, he could miss significant game time. That raises more concerns for the Pistons, who are already going through an under-par season. What do their numbers look like?

The Pistons are the bottom-seeded team in the Eastern Conference with a 13-62 record. It will be tough for them to win in the remaining 7 games if Jalen Duren remains out of the lineup. The Pistons have an abysmal 0-18 record without Jalen Duren this season. Despite all the criticism around the Pistons, Duren has had a decent sophomore year. The 20-year-old is averaging 13.9 points, 12 rebounds, and 2.5 assists.

What’s next for the Detroit Pistons?

The 2023-24 campaign has been one of the Pistons’ worst ever. They lost 28 straight games to tie the Philadelphia 76ers for the longest losing streak in NBA history. However, things have not gotten any better since they snapped their losing streak. They’ve won only 13 of their 74 games. The Pistons front office will have some tough decisions to be taken this off-season, propelling them in the right direction. They can build around Cade Cunningham, who has averaged 22.4 points, 7.5 assists, and 4.3 rebounds, amid the team’s struggles.

Detroit also has several other talented young players who can play a crucial role in their rebuilding process. Jaden Ivey, Jalen Duren, and James Wiseman have all shown immense potential, and the Pistons can either choose to keep them or trade them for a more established star in the league. The Pistons can follow in the footsteps of the Houston Rockets, who have done a great job creating a mix between young stars and veteran leaders. This off-season will be extremely crucial for the Pistons as it could decide the long-term future of their franchise.

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