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Pistons without Jalen Duren again at Knicks as hamstring strain sidelines center for at least two weeks
Jalen Duren is out for unbeaten Detroit's visit to the winless Knicks with a right hamstring strain; the Pistons will re-evaluate their center in two weeks.
Jalen Duren is out again tonight as the unbeaten Detroit Pistons visit the winless New York Knicks. The official NBA injury report lists the center as out with a right hamstring strain, and the Pistons have said he will be re-evaluated in two weeks.
How the injury happened
Duren strained the hamstring in Detroit's 128-111 win in Miami on Oct. 23 and left in the second quarter, the team announced. He played 10 minutes that night: 4 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and a block (box score).
The injury interrupts a strong start. In the opener against Boston he scored 22 points with 9 rebounds in 28 minutes, shooting 8-of-13 from the field and 6-of-7 at the line in a 121-113 win (box score). Last season he averaged 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds in 28.2 minutes over 70 games.
Tonight is the second game he misses. He sat out Detroit's 106-93 win in Philadelphia on Oct. 25.
Who is filling the minutes
The Pistons have not missed a beat on the glass. They pulled down 54 rebounds to Philadelphia's 37 without Duren and are averaging 52.0 per game, second in the league.
- John Collins has seen his minutes climb from 25.5 in the opener to 29.4 in Miami and 33.7 in Philadelphia, where he posted 16 points, 11 rebounds and 2 blocks.
- Paul Reed took over in Miami with 19 points and 11 rebounds in 26 minutes, then added 8 points, 8 rebounds and 3 blocks in 23 minutes against the 76ers.
- Cade Cunningham carried the offense in Philadelphia with 26 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists, and Daniss Jenkins logged 38 minutes for 18 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists (box score).
Detroit blocked 11 shots in that game, its season high so far.
The rest of tonight's report
Detroit lists two more rotation players as questionable: Ausar Thompson (right ankle sprain), who did not play in Philadelphia after 11 points and 11 rebounds in the opener, and Isaiah Joe (right hip contusion), who played 4 minutes against the 76ers.
New York will be without Jose Alvarado (left ankle sprain). The Knicks are 0-3 after losses to Philadelphia (106-100), Boston (107-103) and Orlando (111-102).
What's next
Tonight's game in New York tips off at 8 p.m. ET (match page). It opens a back-to-back for Detroit, which hosts the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday, Oct. 28, before visiting Brooklyn on Oct. 30. Duren's two-week re-evaluation window covers at least those games and the Nov. 2 trip to Charlotte.