Through five games this season, Pistons center Jalen Duren has earned the starting nod each night out, and the fourth-year big man has made the most of his opportunities so far. In Detroit’s 3-2 opening stretch, Duren is scoring at a higher rate than last season, averaging 13.3 points per game, and he’s been a menacing force in lob situations and on the glass or inside the paint in general. 

“I mean, that's what we want. We want him to be aggressive,”Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said after Detroit’s 135-116 win over the Magic. “There aren't many five-men that have the speed, quickness or size to stay in front of him, and we're confident in his ball handling and play making skills.”

To complement Duren’s increased scoring, the Memphis product is grabbing 9.3 rebounds per game, so he’s producing at a shade under a double-double rate in this five-game sample size, though his impact should not be limited to just points and rebounds. Duren has used his athleticism to alter opposing shots at the rim, and he’s chipping in an additional 1.8 blocker per game on a Detroit unit that leads the NBA in blocks per game.

“We wanted him to be more aggressive, trying to create, get to the paint and then make the right read,” Bickerstaff said. “When the big guy has the ball in the hands, most of the time now the defense spreads out to go guard the perimeter players, so it's a one-on-one game for him where he just has to be efficient. And again, he's going to continue to work on it, get better at it, but we like his advantage there.”

However, Duren’s quality performance should not understate the value in which fellow Detroit big man Isaiah Stewart brings to the team. Stewart has worked to spell Duren when he gets into foul trouble or needs a breather, but Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff has not shied away from playing both big men on the court together. 

Cade In Control With 30-Point Double-Double As Pistons Top Magic, 135-116 Pistons score season-high 135 points in win over Magic

For years, Stewart has been noted for his defensive presence, strength and shot-changing ability, but the Pistons enforcer took considerable strides over the offseason to expand his offensive game as well. What we’ve seen as a result is a Beef Stew who is not afraid to put up three-point shots, and he’s been knocking them down at an alarming 54.5% rate on the season. In total, Stewart has posted an average of 9.3 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2 blocks per game, which shows his impact on both ends of the court through a handful of regular season contests. 

But to further underscore Stewart’s strong start to the year, take the season opener against Chicago into consideration. In that game, Stewart put up 20 points and 10 rebounds in just 25 minutes of action, though the Pistons lost the game by four points in the end. If Stewart can continue to shoot the three-ball at a rate over 35%, his emergence as an outside shooter can be serious dividends for the Pistons over the course of the regular season. 

And along that same line, Duren worked extensively with Pistons assistant coach Fred Vinson on his shooting during the offseason and training camp, so he should present more of an outside threat moving forward. Duren has mentioned that he’s been given the “green light” to put up shots outside the paint, so potentially both Duren and Stewart could offer an inside-outside component to their games. 

Together, both Duren and Stewart offer different strong suits to the Pistons, and they combine to create an imposing, dynamic center position that has been instrumental in Detroit’s 3-2 start to the season. 

Next, the Pistons will take on the Dallas Mavericks in Mexico City on Saturday, Nov. 1 at 10 pm.

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