Jalen Duren delivered one of the most memorable moments of the night at Little Caesars Arena when he rose up and finished over Victor Wembanyama, bringing the crowd to its feet in a game that ultimately slipped away from the Detroit Pistons.
Midway through a tightly contested stretch, Duren attacked the rim with force, meeting Wembanyama in the paint and powering through for a dunk that briefly swung momentum in Detroit‘s favor. The sequence energized the arena and injected life into the Pistons‘ bench, serving as a reminder of Duren‘s athleticism and growing confidence against elite competition.
The highlight came during a hard-fought matchup that featured strong performances from both young centers. Wembanyama finished with 21 points, 17 rebounds, four assists and six blocks, impacting the game on both ends of the floor. Duren answered with 25 points, 14 rebounds and two blocks, holding his own in a matchup that showcased the future of the position.
The Spurs got the last laugh
Despite the emotional lift from Duren‘s dunk, the San Antonio Spurs gained control in the second half. San Antonio connected on 18 of 40 shots from three-point range, good for 45 percent, stretching Detroit’s defense and opening driving lanes. Devin Vassell led the Spurs with 28 points and credited the team’s collective approach afterward.
“We knew they were going to be a challenge. They’re a great team, with a great coach,” Vassell said. “We’re super-talented. We’ve got many great players… We all play for each other, we’re super-humble, and all we want to do is win.”
Detroit struggled to match that perimeter efficiency. The Pistons shot just 7-of-36 from beyond the arc, a 19.4 percent clip that made it difficult to sustain offensive pressure. Cade Cunningham battled through physical defense to finish with 16 points, six rebounds and 10 assists, but the lack of outside shooting allowed San Antonio to collapse in the paint and limit second-chance opportunities.
The Spurs eventually pulled away for a 114-103 victory, capitalizing on their shooting advantage and Wembanyama’s defensive presence. Still, the lasting image from the night belonged to Duren. His emphatic finish over one of the league’s premier rim protectors offered a glimpse of Detroit‘s potential and underscored his development as a centerpiece in the paint.
In a loss that exposed areas for improvement, Duren‘s statement play stood out as a sign that the Pistons‘ young core is not backing down from the league’s rising stars.
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