DeMarcus Cousins gives Jalen Duren his flowers after Pistons’ win vs. Celtics

On Monday night, the Detroit Pistons extended their lead in the Eastern Conference with a narrow 104-103 home win over the Boston Celtics, who are number two in the conference. It wasn’t a perfect performance for the Pistons, but Detroit was able to escape with the win after a jumper from Jaylen Brown bounced off the rim in the final seconds.

It was a strong game for Pistons big man Jalen Duren, who scored 18 points to go along with nine rebounds in the win, and recently, former NBA All-Star DeMarcus Cousins took to FanDuel’s “Run It Back” show to give Duren his flowers amid his breakout season.

“This kid has a lot of potential… He’s not a finished product, but his future is really bright,” said Cousins, via Run It Back on X, formerly Twitter.

Indeed, Duren has taken a major leap this season, and is expected by many to be named to his first All-Star team when the reserves are announced in the coming weeks. Duren’s teammate, Pistons point guard Cade Cunningham, was named a starter for the Eastern Conference All-Stars earlier in the day on Monday.

After a few years in which small ball was all the crazy, the NBA in many ways has shifted back to valuing large centers who can protect the paint and finish around the rim, and Duren certainly helps fit that bill, becoming one of the stalwarts on Detroit’s number two-ranked defense.

He’s also developed a soft touch around the basket, and if he is ever able to add a consistent outside jumper to his game, he could enter conversations as one of the best centers in the NBA.

Overall, the Pistons have already blown away expectations this year, and as Duren continues to progress, the sky could be the limit for this Detroit team moving forward.

The Pistons will next take the court on Wednesday night vs the New Orleans Pelicans on the road.

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