After 12 games, Jalen Duren's passion for winning continues to shine for Pistons

DETROIT — Through the first two years of his career, Jalen Duren has shown flashes of being a prominent big man in the league. However, when he began preparing for his third season, Duren only cared about one thing — winning.

"Personal accolades do not intrigue me," Duren told The Detroit News in October. "I know that if we can get out there and do what we have to do as a team and change this thing around, everything else will come. Honestly, I'm worried about winning games more than anything."

On Tuesday night at Little Caesars Arena, Duren was essential in helping the Detroit Pistons win 123-121 in overtime against the Miami Heat. He recorded a team-best 11 rebounds to go along with eight points and five assists.

In the closing seconds, he scored a clutch alley-oop dunk on an inbound pass from Cade Cunningham. His play helped the Pistons avoid an epic collapse in the fourth quarter. The Heat fought back from a nine-point deficit in the final two minutes of regulation, with Tyler Herro scoring nine of his 40 points in the final two minutes.

The win not only gave the Pistons their first franchise victory of the NBA's in-season tournament, but also improved the team's record to 5-7. For most players, a record under .500 through the first dozen games would be a disappointment.

However, the record is a sign of progress to Duren, who has spent the previous two years playing for a franchise that won a combined 31 games in his first two seasons. At the start of the 2023-24 season, the Pistons possessed a 2-10 record through the first 12 games.

"It's been fun — that's all I really can say," Duren said. "It's been super fun since the start of preseason, getting to know these guys, growing with these guys, even the guys that have been here, growing with them while continuing to get better and learn each other. We've been through a lot, so for us to get something rolling and get some momentum, it's huge."

Duren's performance against the Heat marked his return from a sprained left ankle. He sustained the injury in the first quarter of the Pistons' road contest against the Charlotte Hornets on Nov. 6 and was sidelined for three games. Detroit went 1-2 following the loss of Duren.

In each of the games the Pistons dropped during his absence, Duren felt his presence could have made a difference. At the time of his injury, Duren was playing arguably the best of his career in the two games prior, with averages of 15.5 rebounds, 12.0 points, and 2.0 blocks. The Pistons missed his rebounding attribute the most.

Against the Hornets, Detroit gave up an offensive rebound to Brandon Miller, who scored a game-winning tip-in to beat the Pistons, 108-107, at Spectrum Center. A few days later, the Pistons' fourth-quarter rally fell short against the Houston Rockets (101-99), who registered seven offensive boards during the final period. Duren's desire to win left him frustrated, which made his return against the Heat more meaningful.

"It was tough — I felt like the last couple of games, especially that Charlotte game, I felt like I could have made an impact to help us pull out a win," Duren said.

"Things happen, but glory to God. I was able to come back soon and kind of helped the team get a win. It was huge for me. ... Everybody had a part that they played in, and you had multiple guys and double figures that did they role. It was a great night."

The 2017-18 season marked the last time the Pistons recorded at least five wins after the first 12 games. Despite missing the postseason with a sub .500 record, Detroit finished the season with 39 wins. Seven years later, the Pistons are on pace for a 32-win season, which would surpass the combined win total from the previous two years.

A breakout season in Year 3 still could result in Duren establishing himself as one of the league's best big men. However, his top priority is to continue helping the Pistons ingrain a winning culture that would bring the franchise back to prominence.

"The best part (about our start) is just keeping everything professional, whether the shootaround practices or taking everything super serious," Duren said. "The coaches have done a great job of putting everybody in the position to be successful. … Honestly, guys have just been competing. I feel like when we are competing and going at teams, that's when we are at our best."