Jalen Duren scores 24 in 15 minutes as Pistons crush Timberwolves
Key takeaways
- Jalen Duren scored 24 points in just 15 minutes in his preseason debut.
- The Pistons beat the Timberwolves 128-106 on the road in Minnesota.
- Duren's big night came after he signed a five-year, $200 million contract.
Jalen Duren is back. He played his first preseason game on Wednesday night. He scored 24 points in just 15 minutes.
The Detroit Pistons beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 128-106.
The game took place at Target Center in Minneapolis. It was a road game for Detroit. The Pistons trailed early.
Then they took over. They won by 22 points.
Duren missed the first two preseason games. The team brought him along slowly. He sat out the second half on Wednesday too.
But his first half was more than enough. He looked fast. He looked strong.
He looked ready.
What happened
Duren wasted no time. He scored Detroit's first points just 15 seconds into the game. He hit a short baseline jumper over Rudy Gobert.
Gobert is a star big man for Minnesota. Duren went right at him.
On the next play, Duren drove past Gobert again. He showed a quick first step. He showed tight ball handling.
He kept attacking all half. He scored Detroit's first three baskets of the night.
The numbers tell the story. Duren shot 8-of-9 from the field. He shot 8-of-8 from the free throw line.
He grabbed 3 rebounds. He had 2 steals and 1 block. He had just 1 turnover.
He even tried a three-pointer. That was his only miss.
He did it all in one half. He sat out the second half. The Pistons were careful with him.
They did not need to push him. The game was in hand.
Detroit trailed by 10 points in the first quarter. The score was 38-29 after one quarter. Then the Pistons flipped the game.
They closed the first half with a 12-2 run. They led 65-58 at halftime.
The second half was all Detroit. The Pistons won the second half 61-45. They shot 57.9 percent for the game. They held Minnesota to 33.3 percent shooting in the second half.
They forced 20 turnovers in the game. They held the Wolves to 39.7 percent shooting overall.
Cade Cunningham had 14 points and 9 assists. He missed the last game against Washington. He was back in the lineup.
Duncan Robinson scored 15 points. He grabbed 6 rebounds. He hit 4-of-5 from three-point range.
John Collins added 11 points.
It was the first time all five regular starters played together. That matters. The Pistons want this group to build chemistry.
Wednesday was a good first step.
For Minnesota, Anthony Edwards led the way with 20 points. LaMelo Ball added 6 assists. But the Wolves could not keep up after the first quarter.
Detroit's defense took over. The Wolves lost their only home preseason game.
Coach J. B. Bickerstaff had teased a new Duren before the game.
He said Duren looked faster and more explosive in practice. He said Duren's face-up game had improved. He said Duren's work near the basket had improved too.
On Wednesday, Duren showed all of that on the floor.
Duren went at Gobert again and again. He drove past him. He scored over him.
He even stole the ball from him on the perimeter. Then he pushed the ball up the floor. He found Ausar Thompson for an alley-oop dunk.
It was a full show.
He also went at young big man Joan Beringer. He drew two fouls on Beringer late in the first quarter. He drove to the rim with force.
He used his strength well.
The second quarter brought more highlights. Duren threw down an alley-oop dunk off a pass from Kevin Huerter. He dunked off a cut and a pocket pass from Cunningham.
He nearly dunked over Beringer again. That play sent him to the free throw line instead.
Why it matters
This game was about more than one win. It was about Duren's contract. Less than two weeks ago, he agreed to a five-year, $200 million deal.
The deal ended a long contract standoff. Some fans asked if he was worth that much money. Wednesday gave an early answer.
It was also his first game in five months. His last game was a Game 7 loss on May 17. That was in the second round of the playoffs. He had a long summer of talks and workouts.
He came back looking sharp.
The Pistons were patient with him. They held him out of camp work at first. They held him out of the first two preseason games.
They wanted him fresh. That plan paid off on Wednesday.
The win moved Detroit to 2-1 in the preseason. The team has one preseason game left. The bigger prize is the regular season.
The Pistons want to build on last season. They want their young core to grow. Duren is a big part of that core.
Detroit's defense also stood out. Nine Pistons had at least one steal. Duren, Collins, and Javonte Green each had two.
The Pistons forced turnovers all night. They turned defense into offense. That has become their identity.
Thompson played a quiet but key role. He took just one shot. He made it.
It was an alley-oop dunk. He had 4 assists and no turnovers. He moved the ball.
He let Cunningham play off the ball more. That helped the whole offense flow.
For more preseason basketball, read about the Clippers' win over the Nuggets. You can also check the NBA standings preview for 2026-27. Another preseason game to catch up on is London Lions vs Trail Blazers.
What happens next
The Pistons finish the preseason at home. They play the Toronto Raptors on Friday, October 16. Tipoff is at 7 p. m.
The game is at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.
Duren will hope for more minutes. He played just one half on Wednesday. The team may give him a longer run on Friday.
The regular season is close. He needs game rhythm.
The Pistons will also watch his health. They were careful with him all camp. They will stay careful.
A fit Duren is vital to their season. No preseason game is worth a risk.
Detroit fans will want more of this. One half of great basketball is a tease. A full season of it would be a leap.
Duren is 22 years old. He is just starting his prime. Nights like Wednesday show what that prime could look like.
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